第一小说网

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第14部分（第2页）

〃National　Spirits〃　of　History；　the　peculiar　tenor　of　their　moral　life；　of　their　Government；　their　Art；

Religion；　and　Science。　To　realise　these　grades　is　the　boundless　impulse　of　the　World…Spirit　…　the

goal　of　its　irresistible　urging；　for　this　division　into　organic　members；　and　the　full　development　of

each；　is　its　Idea。　…　Universal　History　is　exclusively　occupied　with　showing　how　Spirit　es　to　a

recognition　and　adoption　of　the　Truth：　the　dawn　of　knowledge　appears；　it　begins　to　discover

salient　principles；　and　at　last　it　arrives　at　full　consciousness。

§　59

Having；　therefore；　learned　the　abstract　characteristics　of　the　nature　of　Spirit；　the　means　which　it

uses　to　realise　its　Idea；　and　the　shape　assumed　by　it　in　its　plete　realisation　in　phenomenal

existence　…　namely；　the　State　…　nothing　further　remains　for　this　introductory　section　to　contemplate

but　。。。

III。　Philosophic　History

iii。　The　course　of　the　Worlds　History

§　60

The　mutations　which　history　presents　have　been　long　characterised　in　the　general；　as　an　advance

to　something　better；　more　perfect。　The　changes　that　take　place　in　Nature　—　how　infinitely　manifold

soever　they　may　be　—　exhibit　only　a　perpetually　self…repeating　cycle；　in　Nature　there　happens

“nothing　new　under　the　sun；”　and　the　multiform　play　of　its　phenomena　so　far　induces　a　feeling　of

ennui；　only　in　those　changes　which　take　place　in　the　region　of　Spirit　does　anything　new　arise。　This

peculiarity　in　the　world　of　mind　has　indicated　in　the　case　of　man　an　altogether　different　destiny

from　that　of　merely　natural　objects　—　in　which　we　find　always　one　and　the　same　stable　character；

to　which　all　change　reverts；　—　namely；　a　real　capacity　for　change；　and　that　for　the；　better；　—　an

impulse　of　perfectibility。　This　principle；　which　reduces　change　itself　under　a　law；　has　met　with　an

unfavourable　reception　from　religions　—　such　as　the　Catholic　—　and　from　States　claiming　as　their

just　right　a　stereotyped；　or　at　least　a　stable　position。　If　the　mutability　of　worldly　things　in　general　—

political　constitutions；　for　instance　—　is　conceded；　either　Religion　（as　the　Religion　of　Truth）　is

absolutely　excepted；　or　the　difficulty　escaped　by　ascribing　changes；　revolutions；　and　abrogations

of　immaculate　theories　and　institutions；　to　accidents　or　imprudence；　—　but　principally　to　the　levity

and　evil　passions　of　man。　The　principle　of　Perfectibility　indeed　is　almost　as　indefinite　a　term　as

mutability　in　general；　it　is　without　scope　or　goal；　and　has　no　standard　by　which　to　estimate　the

changes　in　question：　the　improved；　more　perfect；　state　of　things　towards　which　it　professedly　tends