《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第32章

§　77
Philosophy　also　must　make　its　appearance　where　political　life　exists；　since　that　in　virtue　of　which
any　series　of　phenomena　is　reduced　within　the　sphere　of　culture；　as　above　stated；　is　the　Form
strictly　proper　to　Thought；　and　thus　for　philosophy；　which　is　nothing　other　than　the　consciousness
of　this　form　itself　—　the　Thinking　of　Thinking；…　the　material　of　which　its　edifice　is　to　be　constructed；
is　already　prepared　by　general　culture。　If　in　the　development　of　the　State　itself；　periods　are
necessitated　which　impel　the　soul　of　nobler　natures　to　seek　refuge　from　the　Present　in　ideal
regions；　—　in　order　to　find　in　them　that　harmony　with　itself　which　it　can　no　longer　enjoy　in　the
discordant　real　world；　where　the　reflective　intelligence　attacks　all　that　is　holy　and　deep；　which　had
been　spontaneously　inwrought　into　the　religion；　laws　and　manners　of　nations；　and　brings　them
down　and　attenuates　them　to　abstract　godless　generalities；　—　Thought　will　be　pelled　to
bee　Thinking　Reason；　with　the　view　of　effecting　in　its　own　element；　the　restoration　of　its
principles　from　the　ruin　to　which　they　had　been　brought。　
§　78
We　find　then；　it　is　true；　among　all　world…historical　peoples；　poetry；　plastic　art；　science；　even
philosophy；　but　not　only　is　there　a　diversity　in　style　and　bearing　generally；　but　still　more　remarkably
in　subject…matter；　and　this　is　a　diversity　of　the　most　important　kind；　affecting　the　rationality　of　that
subject…matter。　It　is　useless　for　a　pretentious　aesthetic　criticism　to　demand　that　our　good　pleasure
should　not　be　made　the　rule　for　the　matter　—　the　substantial　part　of　their　contents　—　and　to
maintain　that　it　is　the　beautiful　form　as　such；　the　grandeur　of　the　fancy；　and　so　forth；　which　fine　art
aims　at；　and　which　must　be　considered　and　enjoyed　by　a　liberal　taste　and　cultivated　mind。　A
healthy　intellect　does　not　tolerate　such　abstractions；　and　cannot　assimilate　productions　of　the　kind
above　referred　to。　Granted　that　the　Indian　Epopees　might　be　placed　on　a　level　with　the　Homeric；
on　account　of　a　number　of　those　qualities　of　form　—　grandeur　of　invention　and　imaginative　power；
liveliness　of　images　and　emotions；　and　beauty　of　diction；　yet　the　infinite　difference　of　matter
remains；　consequently　one　of　substantial　importance　and　involving　the　interest　of　Reason　which　is
immediately　concerned　with　the　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom；　and　its　expression　in
individuals。　There　is　not　only　a　classical　form；　but　a　classical　order　of　subject…matter；　and　in　a
work　of　art　form　and　subject…matter　are　so　closely　united　that　the　former　can　only　be　classical　to
the　extent　to　which　the　latter　is　so。　With　a　fantastic；　indeterminate　material　—　the　Rule　is　the
essence　of　Reason　…the　form　bees　measureless　and　formless；　or　mean　and　contracted。　In　the
same　way；　in　that　parison　of　the　various　systems　of　philosophy　of　which　we　have　already
spoken；　the　only　point　of　importance　is　overlooked；　namely　the　character　of　that　Unity　which　is
found　alike　in　the　Chinese；　the　Eleatic；　and　the　Spinozistic　philosophy　—　the　distinction　between
the　recognition　of　that　Unity　as　abstract　and　as　concrete　—　concrete　to　the　extent　of　being　a　unity
in　and　by　itself　—　a　unity　synonymous　with　Spirit。　But　that　co…ordination　proves　that　it　recognises
only　such　an　abstract　unity；　so　that　while　it　gives　judgment　respecting　philosophy　it　is　ignorant　of
that　very　point　which　constitutes　the　interest　of　philosophy。　
§　79
But　there　are　also　spheres　which；　amid　all　the　variety　that　is　presented　in　the　substantial　content　of
a　particular　form　of　culture；　remain　the　same。　The　difference　above　mentioned　in　art；　science；
philosophy；　concerns　the　thinking　Reason　and　Freedom；　which　is　the　self…consciousness　of　the
former；　and　which　has　the　same　one　root　with　Thought。　As　it　is　not　the　brute；　but　only　the　man　that
thinks；　he　only　—　and　only　because　he　is　a　thinking　being　—　has　Freedom。　His　consciousness
imports　this；　that　the　individual　prehends　itself　as　a　person；　that　is；　recognises　itself　in　its　single
existence　as　possessing　universality；　—　as　capable　of　abstraction　from；　and　of　surrendering　all
speciality；　and；　therefore；　as　inherently　infinite。　Consequently　those　spheres　of　intelligence　which　lie
beyond　the　limits　of　this　consciousness　are　a　mon　ground　among　those　substantial　distinctions。
Even　morality；　which　is　so　intimately　connected　with　the　consciousness　of　freedom；　can　be　very
pure　while　that　consciousness　is　still　wanting；　as　far；　that　is　to　say；　as　it　expresses　duties　and　rights
only　as　objective　mands；　or　even　as　far　as　it　remains　satisfied　with　the　merely　formal　elevation
of　the　soul　—　the　surrender　of　the　sensual；　and　of　all　sensual　motives　—　in　a　purely　negative；
self…denying　fashion。　The　Chinese　morality　—　since　Europeans　have　bee　acquainted　with　it
and　with　the　writings　of　Confucius　—　has　obtained　the　greatest　praise　and　proportionate　attention
from　those　who　are　familiar　with　the　Christian　morality。　There　is　a　similar　acknowledgment　of　the
sublimity　with　which　the　Indian　religion　and　poetry；　（a　statement　that　must；　however；　be　limited　to
the　higher　kind）；　but　especially　the　Indian　philosophy；　expatiate　upon　and　demand　the　removal　and
sacrifice　of　sensuality。　Yet　both　these　nations　are；　it　must　be　confessed；　entirely　wanting　in　the
essential　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom。　To　the　Chinese　their　moral　laws　are　just　like
natural　laws；　—　external；　positive　mands；　—　claims　established　by　force；　—　pulsory　duties
or　rules　of　courtesy　towards　each　other。　Freedom；　through　which　alone　the　essential；
determinations　of　Reason　bee　moral　sentiments；　is　wanting。　Morality　is　a　political　affair；　and　its
laws　are　administered　by　officers　of　government　and　legal　tribunals。　Their　treatises　upon　it　（which
are　not　law　books；　but　are　certainly　addressed　to　the　subjective　will　and　individual　disposition）
read；　—　as　do　the　moral　writings　of　the　Stoics　—　like　a　string　of　mands　stated　as　necessary　for
realising　the　goal　of　happiness；　so　that　it　seems　to　be　left　free　to　men；　on　their