《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第25章

suggesting　primarily；　a　plex　of　Political　institutions；　but　no　less；　in　the　second　place；　that
Goddess　who　represented　the　Spirit　of　the　People　and　its　unity。　This　Spirit　of　a　People　is　a
determinate　and　particular　Spirit；　and　is；　as　just　stated；　further　modified　by　the　degree　of　its
historical　development。　This　Spirit；　then；　constitutes　the　basis　and　substance　of　those　other　forms
of　a　nation"s　consciousness；　which　have　been　noticed。　For　Spirit　in　its　self…consciousness　must
bee　a　object　of　contemplation　to　itself；　and　objectivity　involves；　in　the　first　instance；　the　rise　of
differences　which　make　up　a　total　of　distinct　spheres　of　objective　spirit；　in　the　same　way　as　the
Soul　exists　only　as　the　plex　of　its　faculties；　which　in　their　form　of　concentration　in　a　simple
unity　produce　that　Soul。　It　is　thus　One　Individuality　which；　presented　in　its　essence　as　God；　is
honoured　and　enjoyed　in　Religion；　which　is　exhibited　as　an　object　of　sensuous　contemplation　in
Art；　and　is　apprehended　as　an　intellectual　conception　in　Philosophy。　In　virtue　of　the　original
identity　of　their　essence；　purport；　and　object；　these　various　forms　are　inseparably　united　with　the
Spirit　of　the　State。　Only　in　connection　with　this　particular　religion　can　this　particular　political
constitution　exist；　just　as　in　such　or　such　a　State；　such　or　such　a　Philosophy　or　order　of　Art。　
§　58
The　remark　next　in　order　is；　that　each　particular　National　genius　is　to　be　treated　as　only　One
Individual　in　the　process　of　Universal　History。　For　that　history　is　the　exhibition　of　the　divine；
absolute　development　of　Spirit　in　its　highest　forms；　…　that　gradation　by　which　it　attains　its　truth　and
consciousness　of　itself。　The　forms　which　these　grades　of　progress　assume　are　the　characteristic
〃National　Spirits〃　of　History；　the　peculiar　tenor　of　their　moral　life；　of　their　Government；　their　Art；
Religion；　and　Science。　To　realise　these　grades　is　the　boundless　impulse　of　the　World…Spirit　…　the
goal　of　its　irresistible　urging；　for　this　division　into　organic　members；　and　the　full　development　of
each；　is　its　Idea。　…　Universal　History　is　exclusively　occupied　with　showing　how　Spirit　es　to　a
recognition　and　adoption　of　the　Truth：　the　dawn　of　knowledge　appears；　it　begins　to　discover
salient　principles；　and　at　last　it　arrives　at　full　consciousness。　
§　59
Having；　therefore；　learned　the　abstract　characteristics　of　the　nature　of　Spirit；　the　means　which　it
uses　to　realise　its　Idea；　and　the　shape　assumed　by　it　in　its　plete　realisation　in　phenomenal
existence　…　namely；　the　State　…　nothing　further　remains　for　this　introductory　section　to　contemplate
but　。。。
III。　Philosophic　History
iii。　The　course　of　the　World"s　History
§　60
The　mutations　which　history　presents　have　been　long　characterised　in　the　general；　as　an　advance
to　something　better；　more　perfect。　The　changes　that　take　place　in　Nature　—　how　infinitely　manifold
soever　they　may　be　—　exhibit　only　a　perpetually　self…repeating　cycle；　in　Nature　there　happens
“nothing　new　under　the　sun；”　and　the　multiform　play　of　its　phenomena　so　far　induces　a　feeling　of
ennui；　only　in　those　changes　which　take　place　in　the　region　of　Spirit　does　anything　new　arise。　This
peculiarity　in　the　world　of　mind　has　indicated　in　the　case　of　man　an　altogether　different　destiny
from　that　of　merely　natural　objects　—　in　which　we　find　always　one　and　the　same　stable　character；
to　which　all　change　reverts；　—　namely；　a　real　capacity　for　change；　and　that　for　the；　better；　—　an
impulse　of　perfectibility。　This　principle；　which　reduces　change　itself　under　a　law；　has　met　with　an
unfavourable　reception　from　religions　—　such　as　the　Catholic　—　and　from　States　claiming　as　their
just　right　a　stereotyped；　or　at　least　a　stable　position。　If　the　mutability　of　worldly　things　in　general　—
political　constitutions；　for　instance　—　is　conceded；　either　Religion　（as　the　Religion　of　Truth）　is
absolutely　excepted；　or　the　difficulty　escaped　by　ascribing　changes；　revolutions；　and　abrogations
of　immaculate　theories　and　institutions；　to　accidents　or　imprudence；　—　but　principally　to　the　levity
and　evil　passions　of　man。　The　principle　of　Perfectibility　indeed　is　almost　as　indefinite　a　term　as
mutability　in　general；　it　is　without　scope　or　goal；　and　has　no　standard　by　which　to　estimate　the
changes　in　question：　the　improved；　more　perfect；　state　of　things　towards　which　it　professedly　tends
is　altogether　undetermined。　
§　61
The　principle　of　Development　involves　also　the　existence　of　a　latent　germ　of　being　—　a　capacity
or　potentiality　striving　to　realise　itself。　This　formal　conception　finds　actual　existence　in　Spirit；　which
has　the　History　of　the　World　for　its　theatre；　its　possession；　and　the　sphere　of　its　realisation。　It　is　not
of　such　a　nature　as　to　be　tossed　to　and　fro　amid　the　superficial　play　of　accidents；　but　is　rather　the
absolute　arbiter　of　things；　entirely　unmoved　by　contingencies；　which；　indeed；　it　applies　and
manages　for　its　own　purposes。　Development；　however；　is　also　a　property　of　organised　natural
objects。　Their　existence　presents　itself；　not　as　an　exclusively　dependent　one；　subjected　to　external
changes；　but　as　one　which　expands　itself　in　virtue　of　an　external　unchangeable　principle；　a　simple
essence；　—　whose　existence；　i。e。；　as　a　germ；　is　primarily　simple；　—　but　which　subsequently
develops　a　variety　of　parts；　that　bee　involved　with　other　objects；　and　consequently　live
through　a　continuous　process　of　changes；　—　a　process　nevertheless；　that　results　in　the　very
contrary　of　change；　and　is　even　transformed　into　a　vis　conservatrix　of　the　organic　principle；　and
the　form　embodying　it。　Thus　the　organised　individuum　produces　itself；　it　expands　itself　actually　to
what　it　was　always　potentially：　So　Spirit　is　only　that　which　it　attains　by　its　own　efforts；　it　makes
itself　actually　what　it　always　was　potentially。　—　That　development　（of　natural　organisms）　takes
place　in　a　direct；　unopposed；　unhindered　manner。　Between　the　Idea　and　its　realisation　—　the
essential　constitu