《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第29章


mentioned as a condition necessary to the origination of History — and yet History itself is not
found。 But in that country the impulse of organisation; in beginning to develop social distinctions;
was immediately petrified in the merely natural classification according to castes; so that although
the laws concern themselves with civil rights; they make even these dependent on natural
distinctions; and are especially occupied with determining the relations (Wrongs rather than Rights)
of those classes towards each other; i。e。; the privileges of the higher over the lower。 Consequently;
the element of morality is banished from the pomp of Indian life and from its political institutions。
Where that iron bondage of distinctions derived from nature prevails; the connection of society is
nothing but wild arbitrariness; — transient activity; — or rather the play of violent emotion without
any goal of advancement or development。 Therefore no intelligent reminiscence; no object for
Mnemosyne presents itself; and imagination — confused though profound — expatiates in a region;
which; to be capable of History; must have had an aim within the domain of Reality; and; at the
same time ; of substantial Freedom。 
§ 70
Since such are the conditions indispensable to a history; it has happened that the growth of
Families to Clans; of Clans to Peoples; and their local diffusion consequent upon this numerical
increased series of facts which itself suggests so many instances of social plication; war;
revolution; and ruin; — a process which is so rich in interest; and so prehensive in extent; —
has occurred without giving rise to History: moreover; that the extension and organic growth of the
empire of articulate sounds has itself remained voiceless and dumb; — a stealthy; unnoticed
advance。 It is a fact revealed by philological monuments; that languages; during a rude condition of
the nations that have spoken them; have been very highly developed; that the human understanding
occupied this theoretical region with great ingenuity and pleteness。 For Grammar; in its
extended and consistent form; is the work of thought; which makes its categories distinctly visible
therein。 It is; moreover; a fact; that with advancing social and political civilisation; this systematic
pleteness of intelligence suffers attrition; and language thereupon bees poorer and ruder: a
singular phenomenon — that the progress towards a more highly intellectual condition; while
expanding and cultivating rationality; should disregard that intelligent amplitude and expressiveness
— should find it an obstruction and contrive to do without it。 Speech is the act of theoretic
intelligence in a special sense; it is its external manifestation。 Exercises of memory and imagination
without language; are direct; 'non…speculative' manifestations。 But this act of theoretic intelligence
itself; as also its subsequent development; and the more concrete class of facts connected with it;
…viz。 the spreading of peoples over the earth; their separation from each other; their ings and
wanderings — remain involved in the obscurity of a voiceless past。 They are not acts of Will
being self…conscious — of Freedom; mirroring itself in a phenomenal form; and creating for
itself a proper reality。 Not partaking of this element of substantial; veritable existence; those
nations — notwithstanding the development of language among them — never advanced to the
possession of a history。 The rapid growth of language; and the progress and dispersion of
Nations; assume importance and interest for concrete Reason; only when they have e in
contact with States; or begin to form political constitutions themselves。 
§ 71
After these remarks; relating to the form of the mencement of the World"s History; and to
that ante…historical period which must be excluded from it; we have to state the direction of its
course: though here only formally。 The further definition of the subject in the concrete; es
under the head of arrangement。 
§ 72
Universal history — as already demonstrated — shows the development of the consciousness of
Freedom on the part of Spirit; and of the consequent realisation of that Freedom。 This
development implies a gradation — a series of increasingly adequate expressions or manifestations
of Freedom; which result from its Idea。 The logical; and — as still more prominent — the
dialectical nature of the Idea in general; viz。 that it is self…determined — that it assumes successive
forms which it successively transcends; and by this very process of transcending its earlier stages;
gains an affirmative; and; in fact; a richer and more concrete shape; — this necessity of its nature;
and the necessary series of pure abstract forms which the Idea successively assumes — is
exhibited in the department of Logic。 Here we need adopt only one of its results; viz。 that every
step in the process; as differing from any other; has its determinate peculiar principle。 In history this
principle is idiosyncrasy of Spirit — peculiar National Genius。 It is within the limitations of this
idiosyncrasy that the spirit of the nation; concretely manifested; expresses every aspect of its
consciousness and will — the whole cycle of its realisation。 Its religion; its polity; its ethics; its
legislation; and even its science; art; and mechanical skill; all bear its stamp。 These special
peculiarities find their key in that mon peculiarity; — the particular principle that characterises a
people; as; on the other hand; in the facts which History presents in detail; that mon
characteristic principle may be detected。 That such or such a specific quality constitutes the
peculiar genius of a people; is the element of our inquiry which must be derived from experience;
and historically proved。 To acplish this; presupposes not only a disciplined faculty of
abstraction; but an intimate acquaintance with the Idea。 The investigator must be familiar à priori
(if we like to call it so); with the whole circle of conceptions to which the principles
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