《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第33章

realising　the　goal　of　happiness；　so　that　it　seems　to　be　left　free　to　men；　on　their　part；　to　adopt　such
mands；　—　to　observe　them　or　not；　while　the　conception　of　an　abstract　subject；　“a　wise　man”
＇Sapiens＇　forms　the　culminating　point　among　the　Chinese；　as　also　among　the　Stoic　moralists。　Also
in　the　Indian　doctrine　of　the　renunciation　of　the　sensuality　of　desires　and　earthly　interests；　positive
moral　freedom　is　not　the　object　and　end；　but　the　annihilation　of　consciousness　—　spiritual　and　even
physical　privation　of　life。　
§　80
It　is　the　concrete　spirit　of　a　people　which　we　have　distinctly　to　recognise；　and　since　it　is　Spirit　it
can　only　be　prehended　spiritually；　that　is；　by　thought。　It　is　this　alone　which　takes　the　lead　in　all
the　deeds　and　tendencies　of　that　people；　and　which　is　occupied　in　realising　itself；　—　in　satisfying　its
ideal　and　being　self…conscious；　—　for　its　great　business　is　self…production。　But　for　spirit；　the
highest　attainment　is　self…knowledge；　an　advance　not　only　to　the　intuition；　but　to　the　thought　—
the　clear　conception　of　itself。　This　it　must　and　is　also　destined　to　acplish；　but　the
acplishment　is　at　the　same　time　its　dissolution。；　and　the　rise　of　another　spirit；　another
world…historical　people；　another　epoch　of　Universal　History。　This　transition　and　connection　leads
us　to　the　connection　of　the　whole　—　the　idea　of　the　World"s　History　as　such　—　which　we　have　now
to　consider　more　closely；　and　of　which　we　have　to　give　a　representation。　
§　81
History　in　general　is　therefore　the　development　of　Spirit　in　Time；　as　Nature　is　the　development　of
the　Idea　in　Space。　
§　82
If　then　we　cast　a　glance　over　the　World"s　History　generally；　we　see　a　vast　picture　of　changes　and
transactions；　of　infinitely　manifold　forms　of　peoples；　states；　individuals；　in　unresting　succession。
Everything　that　can　enter　into　and　interest　the　soul　of　man　—　all　our　sensibility　to　goodness；
beauty；　and　greatness　—　is　called　into　play。　On　every　hand　aims　are　adopted　and　pursued；　which
we　recognise；　whose　acplishment　we　desire　—　we　hope　and　fear　for　them。　In　all　these
occurrences　and　changes　we　behold　human　action　and　suffering　predominant；　everywhere
something　akin　to　ourselves；　and　therefore　everywhere　something　that　excites　our　interest　for　or
against。　Sometimes　it　attracts　us　by　beauty；　freedom；　and　rich　variety；　sometimes　by　energy　such
as　enables　even　vice　to　make　itself　interesting。　Sometimes　we　see　the　more　prehensive　mass
of　some　general　interest　advancing　with　parative　slowness　and　subsequently　sacrificed　to　an
infinite　plication　of　trifling　circumstances；　and　so　dissipated　into　atoms。　Then；　again；　with　a　vast
expenditure　of　power　a　trivial　result　is　produced；　while　from　what　appears　unimportant　a
tremendous　issue　proceeds。　On　every　hand　there　is　the　motliest　throng　of　events　drawing　us　within
the　circle　of　its　interest；　and　when　one　bination　vanishes　another　immediately　appears　in　its
place。　
§　83
The　general　thought　—　the　category　which　first　presents　itself　in　this　restless　mutation　of　individuals
and　peoples；　existing　for　a　time　and　then　vanishing　—　is　that　of　change　at　large。　The　sight　of　the
ruins　of　some　ancient　sovereignty　directly　leads　us　to　contemplate　this　thought　of　change　in　its
negative　aspect。　What　traveller　among　the　ruins　of　Carthage；　of　Palmyra；　Persepolis；　or　Rome；　has
not　been　stimulated　by　reflections　on　the　transience　of　kingdoms　and　men；　and　to　sadness　at　the
thought　of　a　vigorous　and　rich　life　now　departed　—　a　sadness　which　does　not　expend　itself　on
personal　losses　and　the　uncertainty　of　one"s　own　undertakings；　but　is　a　disinterested　sorrow　at　the
decay　of　a　splendid　and　highly　cultured　national　life！　But　the　next　consideration　which　allies　itself
with　that　of　change；　is；　that　chance　while　it　imports　dissolution；　involves　at　the　same　time　the　rise　of
a　new　life　—　that　while　death　is　the　issue　of　life；　life　is　also　the　issue　of　death。　This　is　a　grand
conception；　one　which　the　Oriental　thinkers　attained　and　which　is　perhaps　the　highest　in　their
metaphysics。　In　the　Idea　of　Metempsychosis　we　find　it　evolved　in　its　relation　to　individual
existence；　but　a　myth　more　generally　known；　is　that　of　the　Phoenix　as　a　type　of　the　Life　of
Nature；　eternally　preparing　for　itself　its　funeral　pile；　and　consuming　itself　upon　it；　but　so　that　from
its　ashes　is　produced　the　new；　renovated；　fresh　life。　But　this　image　is　only　Asiatic；　oriental　not
occidental。　Spirit　—　consuming　the　envelope　of　its　existence　—　does　not　merely　pass　into　another
envelope；　nor　rise　rejuvenescent　from　the　ashes　of　its　previous　form；　it　es　forth　exalted；
glorified；　a　purer　spirit。　It　certainly　makes　war　upon　itself　—　consumes　its　own　existence；　but　in　this
very　destruction　it　works　up　with　existence　into　a　new　form；　and　each　successive　phase　bees
in　its　turn　a　material；　working　on　which　it　exalts　itself　to　a　new　grade。　
§　84
If　we　consider　Spirit　in　this　aspect　—　regarding　its　changes　not　merely　as　rejuvenescent　transitions；
i。e。；　returns　to　the　same　form；　but　rather　as　manipulations　of　itself；　by　which　it　multiplies　the
material　for　future　endeavours　—　we　see　it　exerting　itself　in　a　variety　of　modes　and　directions；
developing　its　powers　and　gratifying　its　desires　in　a　variety　which　is　inexhaustible；　because　every
one　of　its　creations；　in　which　it　has　already　found　gratification；　meets　it　anew　as　material；　and　is　a
new　stimulus　to　plastic　activity。　The　abstract　conception　of　mere　change　gives　place　to　the　thought
of　Spirit　manifesting；　developing；　and　perfecting　its　powers　in　every　direction　which　its　manifold
nature　can　follow。　What　powers　it　inherently　possesses　we　learn　from　the　variety　of　products　and
formations　which　it　originates。　In　this　pleasurable　activity；　it　has　to　do　only　with　itself。　As　involved
with　the　conditions　of　mere　nature　—　internal　and　external　—　it　will　indeed　meet　in　these　not　only
opposition　and　hindrance；　but　will　often　see　its　endeavours　thereby　fail；　ofte