philosophy of history-第23节

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opposition　and　hindrance；　but　will　often　see　its　endeavours　thereby　fail；　often　sink　under　the
complications　in　which　it　is　entangled　either　by　Nature　or　by　itself。　But　in　such　case　it　perishes　in
fulfilling　its　own　destiny　and　proper　function；　and　even　thus　exhibits　the　spectacle　of
self…demonstration　as　spiritual　activity。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　85

The　very　essence　of　Spirit　is　activity；　it　realises　its　potentiality　—　makes　itself　its　own　deeds　its　own
work　—　and　thus　it　becomes　an　object　to　itself；　contemplates　itself　as　an　objective　existence。　Thus
is　it　with　the　Spirit　of　a　people：　it　is　a　Spirit　having　strictly　defined　characteristics。；　which　erects
itself　into　an　objective　world；　that　exists　and　persists　in　a　particular　religious　form　of　worship；
customs；　constitution　and　political　laws；　—　in　the　whole　complex　of　its　institutions；　—　in　the　events
and　transactions　that　make　up　its　history。　That　is　its　work　—　that　is　what　this　particular　Nation　is。
Nations　are　what　their　deeds　are。　Every　Englishman　will　say：　We　are　the　men　who　navigate　the
ocean；　and　have　the　commerce　of　the　world；　to　whom　the　East　Indies　belong　and　their　riches；　who
have　a　parliament；　juries；　&c。…　The　relation　of　the　individual　to　that　Spirit　is　that　he　appropriates　to
himself　this　substantial　existence；　that　it　becomes　his　character　and　capability；　enabling　him　to　have
a　definite　place　in　the　world　—　to　be　something。　For　he　finds　the　being　of　the　people　to　which　he
belongs　an　already　established；　firm　world　—　objectively　present　to　him　—　with　which　he　has　to
incorporate　himself。　In　this　its　work；　therefore　—　its　world　—　the　Spirit　of　the　people　enjoys　its
existence　and　finds　its　satisfaction。　—　A　Nation　is　moral　—　virtuous　—　vigorous　—　while　it　is
engaged　in　realising　its　grand　objects；　and　defends　its　work　against　external　violence　during　the
process　of　giving　to　its　purposes　an　objective　existence。　The　contradiction　between　its　potential；
subjective　being　—　its　inner　aim　and　life　—　and　its　actual　being　is　removed；　it　has　attained　full
reality；　has　itself　objectively　present　to　it。　But　this　having　been　attained；　the　activity　played　by　the
Spirit　of　the　people　in　question　is　no　longer　needed；　it　has　its　desire。　The　Nation　can　still
accomplish　much　in　war　and　peace　at　home　and　abroad；　but　the　living　substantial　soul　itself　may
be　said　to　have　ceased　its　activity。　The　essential；　supreme　interest　has　consequently　vanished　from
its　life；　for　interest　is　present　only　where　there　is　opposition。　The　nation　lives　the　same　kind　of　life
as　the　individual　when　passing　from　maturity　to　old　age；　—　in　the　enjoyment　of　itself；　—　in　the
satisfaction　of　being　exactly　what　it　desired　and　was　able　to　attain。　Although　its　imagination　might
have　transcended　that　limit；　it　nevertheless　abandoned　any　such　aspirations　as　objects　of　actual
endeavour；　if　the　real　world　was　less　than　favourable　to　their　attainment　—　and　restricted　its　aim
by　the　conditions　thus　imposed。　This　mere　customary　life　（the　watch　wound　up　and　going　on　of
itself）　is　that　which　brings　on　natural　death。　Custom　is　activity　without　opposition；　for　which　there
remains　only　a　formal　duration；　in　which　the　fullness　and　zest　that　originally　characterised　the　aim　of
life　is　out　of　the　questions　merely　external　sensuous　existence　which　has　ceased　to　throw　itself
enthusiastically　into　its　object。　Thus　perish　individuals；　thus　perish　peoples　by　a　natural　death；　and
though　the　latter　may　continue　in　being；　it　is　an　existence　without　intellect　or　vitality；　having　no　need
of　its　institutions；　because　the　need　for　them　is　satisfied；　—　a　political　nullity　and　tedium。　In　order
that　a　truly　universal　interest　may　arise；　the　Spirit　of　a　People　must　advance　to　the　adoption　of
some　new　purpose：　but　whence　can　this　new　purpose　originate？　It　would　be　a　higher；　more
comprehensive　conception　of　itself　—　a　transcending　of　its　principle　—　but　this　very　act　would
involve　a　principle　of　a　new　order；　a　new　National　Spirit。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　86

Such　a　new　principle　does　in　fact　enter　into　the　Spirit　of　a　people　that　has　arrived　at　full
development　and　self…realisation；　it　dies　not　a　simply　natural　death　—　for　it　is　not　a　mere　single
individual；　but　a　spiritual；　generic　life；　in　its　case　natural　death　appears　to　imply　destruction　through
its　own　agency。　The　reason　of　this　difference　from　the　single　natural　individual　is　that　the　Spirit　of　a
people　exists　as　a　genus；　and　consequently　carries　within　it　its　own　negation；　in　the　very　generality
which　characterises　it。　A　people　can　only　die　a　violent　death　when　it　has　become　naturally　dead　in
itself；　as　e。g。；　the　German　Imperial　Cities；　the　German　Imperial　Constitution。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　87

It　is　not　of　the　nature　of　the　all…pervading　Spirit　to　die　this　merely　natural　death；　it　does　not　simply
sink　into　the　senile　life　of　mere　custom　but　—　as　being　a　National　Spirit　belonging　to　Universal
History　—　attains　to　the　consciousness　of　what　its　work　is；　it　attains　to　a　conception　of　itself。　In
fact　it　is　world…historical　only　in　so　far　as　a　universal　principle　has　lain　in　its　fundamental　element；
—　in　its　grand　aim：　only　so　far　is　the　work　which　such　a　spirit　produces；　a　moral；　political
organisation。　If　it　be　mere　desires　that　impel　nations　to　activity；　such　deeds　pass　over　without
leaving　a　trace；　or　their　traces　are　only　ruin　and　destruction。　Thus；　it　was　first　Chronos　—　Time　—
that　ruled；　the　Golden　Age；　without　moral　products；　and　what　was　produced　—　the　offspring　of
that　Chronos　—　was　devoured　by　it。　It　was　Jupiter　—　from　whose　head　Minerva　sprang；　and　to
whose　circle　of　divinities　belong　Apollo　and　the　Muses　—　that　first　put　a　constraint　upon　Time；　and
set　a　bound　to　its　principle　of　decadence。　He　is　the　Political　god；　who　produced　a　moral　work　—
the　State。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　88

In　the　very　element　of　an　achievement　the　quality　of　generality；　of　thought；　is　contained；　without
thought　it　has　no　objectivity；　that　is　its　basis。　The　highest　point　in　the　development　of　a　people　is
this；　—　to　have　gained　a　conception　of　its　life　and　condition；　—　to　have　reduced　its　laws；　its　ideas
of　justice　and　morality　to　a　science；　for　in　this　unity　＇of　the　objective　and　subjective＇　lies　the　most
intimate　unity　that　Spirit　can　attain　to　in　and　with　itself。　In　its　work　it　is　employed　in　rendering　itself
an　object　of　its　own　contemplation；　but　it　cannot　develop　itself　objectively　in　its　essential　nature；
except　in　thinking　itself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　89

At　this　point；　then；　Spirit　is　acquainted　with　its　principles　—　the　general　character　of　its　acts。　But　at
the　same　time；　in　virtue　of　its　very　generality；　this　work　of　thought　is　different　in　point　of　form　from
the　actual　achievements　of　the　national　genius；　and　from　the　vital　agency　by　which　those
achievements　have　been　performed。　We　have　then　before　us　a　real　and　an　ideal　existence　of　the
Spirit　of　the　Nation。　If　we　wish　to　gain　the　general　idea　and　conception　of　what　the　Greeks　were；
we　find　it　in　Sophocles　and　Aristophanes；　in　Thucydides　and　Plato。　In　these　individuals　the　Greek
spirit　conceived　and　thought　itself。　This　is　the　profounder　kind　of　satisfaction　which　the　Spirit　of　a
people　attains；　but　it　is　“ideal；”　and　distinct　from　its　“real”　activity。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　90

At　such　a　time；　therefore；　we　are　sure　to　see　a　people　finding　satisfaction　in　the　idea　of　virtue；
putting　talk　about　virtue　partly　side　by　side　with　actual　virtue；　but　partly　in　the　place　of　it。　On　the
other　hand　pure；　universal　thought；　since　its　nature　is　universality；　is　apt　to　bring　the　Special　and
Spontaneous　—　Belief；　Trust；　Customary　Morality　—　to　reflect　upon　itself；　and　its　primitive
simplicity；　to　show　up　the　limitation　with　which　it　is　fettered；　—　partly　suggesting　reasons　for
renouncing　duties；　partly　itself　demanding　reasons；　and　the　connection　of　such　requirements　with
Universal　Thought；　and　not　finding　that　connection；　seeking　to　impeach　the　authority　of　duty
generally；　as　destitute　of　a　sound　foundation。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　91

At　the　same　time　the　isolation　of　individuals　from　each　other　and　from　the　Whole　makes　its
appearance；　their　aggressive　selfishness　and　vanity；　their　seeking　personal　advantage　and
consulting　this　at　the　expense　of　the　State　at　large。　That　inward　principle　in　transcending　its
outward　manifestations　is　subjective　also　in　form　—　viz。；　selfishness　and　corruption　in　the　unbound
passions　and　egotistic　interests　of　men。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　92

Zeus；　therefore；　who　is　represented　as　having　put　a　limit　to　the　devouring　agency　of　Time；　and
staid　this　transience　by　having　established　something　inherently　and　independently　durable　—　Zeus
and　his　race　are　themselves　swallowed　up；　and　that　by　the　very　power　that　produced　them　—　the
principle　of　thought；　perception；　reasoning；　insight　derived　from　rational　grounds；　and　the
requirement　of　such　grounds。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　93

Time　is　the　negative　element　in　the　sensuous　world。　T