第一小说网

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第6部分（第3页）

lies　in　the　fact　that　they　respect　none　of　the　limitations　which　justice　and　morality　would　impose　on

them；　and　that　these　natural　impulses　have　a　more　direct　influence　over　man　than　the　artificial　and

tedious　discipline　that　tends　to　order　and　self…restraint；　law　and　morality。　When　we　look　at　this

display　of　passions；　and　the　consequences　of　their　violence；　the　Unreason　which　is　associated　not

；only　with　them；　but　even　（rather　we　might　say　especially）　with　good　designs　and　righteous　aims；

when　we　see　the　evil；　the　vice；　the　ruin　that　has　befallen　the　most　flourishing　kingdoms　which　the

mind　of　man　ever　created；　we　can　scarce　avoid　being　filled　with　sorrow　at　this　universal　taint　of

corruption：　and；　since　this　decay　is　not　the　work　of　mere　Nature；　but　of　the　Human　Will　—　a　moral

embitterment　—　a　revolt　of　the　Good　Spirit　（if　it　have　a　place　within　us）　may　well　be　the　result　of

our　reflections。　Without　rhetorical　exaggeration；　a　simply　truthful　bination　of　the　miseries　that

have　overwhelmed　the　noblest　of　nations　and　polities；　and　the　finest　exemplars　of　private　virtue；　—

forms　a　picture　of　most　fearful　aspect；　and　excites　emotions　of　the　profoundest　and　most　hopeless

sadness；　counter…balanced　by　no　consolatory　result。　We　endure　in　beholding　it　a　mental　torture；

allowing　no　defence　or　escape　but　the　consideration　that　what　has　happened　could　not　be

otherwise；　that　it　is　a　fatality　which　no　intervention　could　alter。　And　at　last　we　draw　back　from　the

intolerable　disgust　with　which　these　sorrowful　reflections　threaten　us；　into　the　more　agreeable

environment　of　our　individual　life　—　the　Present　formed　by　our　private　aims　and　interests。　In　short

we　retreat　into　the　selfishness　that　stands　on　the　quiet　shore；　and　thence　enjoy　in　safety　the　distant

spectacle　of　“wrecks　confusedly　hurled。”　But　even　regarding　History　as　the　slaughter…bench　at

which　the　happiness　of　peoples；　the　wisdom　of　States；　and　the　virtue　of　individuals　have　been

victimised　—　the　question　involuntarily　arises　—　to　what　principle；　to　what　final　aim　these　enormous

sacrifices　have　been　offered。　From　this　point　the　investigation　usually　proceeds　to　that　which　we

have　made　the　general　mencement　of　our　enquiry。　Starting　from　this　we　pointed　out　those

phenomena　which　made　up　a　picture　so　suggestive　of　gloomy　emotions　and　thoughtful　reflections

—　as　the　very　field　which　we；　for　our　part；　regard　as　exhibiting　only　the　means　for　realising　what

we　assert　to　be　the　essential　destiny　—　the　absolute　aim；　or　—　which　es　to　the　same　thing　—

the　true　result　of　the　Worlds　History。　We　have　all　along　purposely　eschewed　“moral　reflections”

as　a　method　of　rising　from　the　scene　of　historical　specialties　to　the　general　principles　which　they

embody。　Besides；　it　is　not　the　interest　of　such　sentimentalities；　really　to　rise　above　those　depressing

emotions；　and　to　solve　the　enigmas　of　Providence　which　the　considerations　that　occasioned　them；

present。　It　is　essential　to　their　character　to　find　a　gloomy　satisfaction　in　the　empty　and　fruitless

sublimities　of　that　negative　result。　We　return　then　to　the　point　of　view　which　we　have　adopted；

observing　that　the　successive　steps　（Momente）　of　the　analysis　to　which　it　will　lead　us；　will　also

evolve　the　conditions　requisite　for　answering　the　enquiries　suggested　by　the　panorama　of　sin　and

suffering　that　history　unfolds。

§　25

The　first　remark　we　have　to　make；　and　which　…　though　already　presented　more　than　once　—

cannot　be　too　often　repeated　when　the　occasion　seems　to　call　for　it；　—　is　that　what　we　call　the

principle；　aim；　destiny；　or　the　nature　and　idea　of　Spirit；　is　something　merely　general　and　abstract。

Principle　—　Plan　of　Existence　—