philosophy of history-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


punishment　also。　This　may　not　have　been　present　to　the　mind　of　the　perpetrator；　still　less　in　his
intention；　but　his　deed　itself；　the　general　principles　it　calls　into　play；　its　substantial　content　entails　it。
By　this　example　I　wish　only　to　impress　on　you　the　consideration；　that　in　a　simple　act；　something
farther　may　be　implicated　than　lies　in　the　intention　and　consciousness　of　the　agent。　The　example
before　us　involves；　however；　this　additional　consideration；　that　the　substance　of　the　act；
consequently　we　may　say　the　act　itself；　recoils　upon　the　perpetrator；　—　reacts　upon　him　with
destructive　tendency。　This　union　of　the　two　extremes　—　the　embodiment　of　a　general　idea　in　the
form　of　direct　reality；　and　the　elevation　of　a　speciality　into　connection　with　universal　truth　—　is
brought　to　pass；　at　first　sight；　under　the　conditions　of　an　utter　diversity　of　nature　between　the　two；
and　an　indifference　of　the　one　extreme　towards　the　other。　The　aims　which　the　agent　set　before
them　are　limited　and　special；　but　it　must　be　remarked　that　the　agents　themselves　are　intelligent
thinking　beings。　The　purport　of　their　desires　is　interwoven　with　general；　essential　considerations
of　justice；　good；　duty；　&c；　for　mere　desire　—　volition　in　its　rough　and　savage　forms　—　falls　not
within　the　scene　and　sphere　of　Universal　History。　Those　general　considerations；　which　form　at　the
same　time　a　norm　for　directing　aims　and　actions；　have　determinate　purport；　for　such　an　abstraction
as　“good　for　its　own　sake；”　has　no　place　in　living　reality。　If　men　are　to　act；　they　must　not　only
intend　the　Good；　but　must　have　decided　for　themselves　whether　this　or　that　particular　thing　is　a
Good。　What　special　course　of　action；　however；　is　good　or　not；　is　determined；　as　regards　the
ordinary　contingencies　of　private　life；　by　the　laws　and　customs　of　a　State；　and　here　no　great
difficulty　is　presented。　Each　individual　has　his　position；　he　knows　on　the　whole　what　a　just；
honourable　course　of　conduct　is。　As　to　ordinary；　private　relations；　the　assertion　that　it　is　difficult　to
choose　the　right　and　good；　—　the　regarding　it　as　the　mark　of　an　exalted　morality　to　find　difficulties
and　raise　scruples　on　that　score　—　may　be　set　down　to　an　evil　or　perverse　will；　which　seeks　to
evade　duties　not　in　themselves　of　a　perplexing　nature；　or；　at　any　rate；　to　an　idly　reflective　habit　of
mind　—　where　a　feeble　will　affords　no　sufficient　exercise　to　the　faculties；　—　leaving　them　therefore
to　find　occupation　within　themselves；　and　to　expend　themselves　on　moral　self…adulation。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　31

It　is　quite　otherwise　with　the　comprehensive　relations　that　History　has　to　do　with。　In　this　sphere　are
presented　those　momentous　collisions　between　existing；　acknowledged　duties；　laws；　and　rights；
and　those　contingencies　which　are　adverse　to　this　fixed　system；　—　which　assail　and　even　destroy
its　foundations　and　existence；　whose　tenor　may　nevertheless　seem　good；…　on　the　large　scale
advantageous；　—　yes；　even　indispensable　and　necessary。　These　contingencies　realise　themselves　in
History：　they　involve　a　general　principle　of　a　different　order　from　that　on　which　depends　the
permanence　of　a　people　or　a　State。　This　principle　is　an　essential　phase　in　the　development　of　the
creating　Idea；　of　Truth　striving　and　urging　towards　＇consciousness　of＇　itself。　Historical　men　…　
World…Historical　Individuals　…　are　those　in　whose　aims　such　a　general　principle　lies。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　32

Caesar；　in　danger　of　losing　a　position；　not　perhaps　at　that　time　of　superiority；　yet　at　least　of
equality　with　the　others　who　were　at　the　head　of　the　State；　and　of　succumbing　to　those　who　were
just　on　the　point　of　becoming　his　enemies；　…　belongs　essentially　to　this　category。　These　enemies　—
who　were　at　the　same　time　pursuing　their　personal　aims　—　had　the　form　of　the　constitution；　and
the　power　conferred　by　an　appearance　of　justice；　on　their　side。　Caesar　was　contending　for　the
maintenance　of　his　position；　honour；　and　safety；　and；　since　the　power　of　his　opponents　included
the　sovereignty　over　the　provinces　of　the　Roman　Empire；　his　victory　secured　for　him　the　conquest
of　that　entire　Empire：　and　he　thus　became　—　though　leaving　the　form　of　the　constitution　—　the
Autocrat　of　the　State。　That　which　secured　for　him　the　execution　of　a　design；　which　in　the　first
instance　was　of　negative　import　—　the　Autocracy　of　Rome；　—　was；　however；　at　the　same　time　an
independently　necessary　feature　in　the　history　of　Rome　and　of　the　world。　It　was　not；　then；　his
private　gain　merely；　but　an　unconscious　impulse　that　occasioned　the　accomplishment　of　that　for
which　the　time　was　ripe。　Such　are　all　great　historical　men　—　whose　own　particular　aims　involve
those　large　issues　which　are　the　will　of　the　World…Spirit。　They　may　be　called　Heroes；　inasmuch　as
they　have　derived　their　purposes　and　their　vocation；　not　from　the　calm；　regular　course　of　things；
sanctioned　by　the　existing　order；　but　from　a　concealed　fount　—　one　which　has　not　attained　to
phenomenal；　present　existence；　—　from　that　inner　Spirit；　still　hidden　beneath　the　surface；　which；
impinging　on　the　outer　world　as　on　a　shell；　bursts　it　in　pieces；　because　it　is　another　kernel　than　that
which　belonged　to　the　shell　in　question。　They　are　men；　therefore；　who　appear　to　draw　the　impulse
of　their　life　from　themselves；　and　whose　deeds　have　produced　a　condition　of　things　and　a　complex
of　historical　relations　which　appear　to　be　only　their　interest；　and　their　work。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　33

Such　individuals　had　no　consciousness　of　the　general　Idea　they　were　unfolding；　while　prosecuting
those　aims　of　theirs；　on　the　contrary；　they　were　practical；　political　men。　But　at　the　same　time　they
were　thinking　men；　who　had　an　insight　into　the　requirements　of　the　time　—　what　was　ripe　for
development。　This　was　the　very　Truth　for　their　age；　for　their　world；　the　species　next　in　order；　so
to　speak；　and　which　was　already　formed　in　the　womb　of　time。　It　was　theirs　to　know　this　nascent
principle；　the　necessary；　directly　sequent　step　in　progress；　which　their　world　was　to　take；　to　make
this　their　aim；　and　to　expend　their　energy　in　promoting　it。　World…historical　men　—　the　Heroes　of　an
epoch　—　must；　therefore；　be　recognised　as　it's　clear…sighted　ones；　their　deeds；　their　words　are
the　best　of　that　time。　Great　men　have　formed　purposes　to　satisfy　themselves；　not　others。　Whatever
prudent　designs　and　counsels　they　might　have　learned　from　others；　would　be　the　more　limited　and
inconsistent　features　in　their　career；　for　it　was　they　who　best　understood　affairs；　from　whom
others　learned；　and　approved；　or　at　least　acquiesced　in　their　policy。　For　that　Spirit　which　had
taken　this　fresh　step　in　history　is　the　inmost　soul　of　all　individuals；　but　in　a　state　of　unconsciousness
which　the　great　men　in　question　aroused。　Their　fellows；　therefore；　follow　these　soul…leaders；　for
they　feel　the　irresistible　power　of　their　own　inner　Spirit　thus　embodied。　If　we　go　on　to　cast　a　look
at　the　fate　of　these　World…Historical　persons；　whose　vocation　it　was　to　be　the　agents　of　the
World…Spirit；　—　we　shall　find　it　to　have　been　no　happy　one。　They　attained　no　calm　enjoyment；
their　whole　life　was　labour　and　trouble；　their　whole　nature　was　nought　else　but　their
master…passion。　When　their　object　is　attained　they　fall　off　like　empty　hulls　from　the　kernel。　They
die　early；　like　Alexander；　they　are　murdered；　like　Caesar；　transported　to　St。　Helena。；　like
Napoleon。　This　fearful　consolation　—　that　historical　men　have　not　enjoyed　what　is　called
happiness；　and　of　which　only　private　life　（and　this　may　be　passed　under　very　various　external
circumstances）　is　capable；　—　this　consolation　those　may　draw　from　history；　who　stand　in　need　of
it；　and　it　is　craved　by　Envy　—　vexed　at　what　is　great　and　transcendent；　—　striving；　therefore；　to
depreciate　it；　and　to　find　some　flaw　in　it。　Thus　in　modern　times　it　has　been　demonstrated　ad
nauseam　that　princes　are　generally　unhappy　on　their　thrones；　in　consideration　of　which　the
possession　of　a　throne　is　tolerated；　and　men　acquiesce　in　the　fact　that　not　themselves　but　the
personages　in　question　are　its　occupants。　The　Free　Man；　we　may　observe；　is　not　envious；　but
gladly　recognises　what　is　great　and　exalted；　and　rejoices　that　it　exists。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　34

It　is　in　the　light　of　those　common　elements　which　constitute　the　interest　and　therefore　the　passions
of　individuals；　that　these　historical　men　are　to　be　regarded。　They　are　great　men；　because　they
willed　and　accomplished　something　great；　not　a　mere　fancy；　a　mere　intention；　but　that　which　met
the　case　and　fell　in　with　the　needs　of　the　age。　This　mode　of　considering　them　also　excludes　the
so…called　“psychological”　view；　which　—　serving　the　purpose　of　envy　most　effectually　…　contrives
so　to　refer　all　actions　to　the　heart；　—　to　bring　them　under　such　a　subjective　aspect　—　as　that　their
authors　appear　to　have　done　everything　under　the　impulse　of　some　passion；　mean　or　grand；　—
some　morbid　craving；　—　and　on　account　of　these　passions　and　cravings　to　have　been　not　moral
men。　Alexander　of　Macedon　partly　subdued　Greece；　and　then　Asia；　therefore