第一小说网

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第15部分（第1页）

of　freedom　to　its　pure　universal　form；　that　state　in　which　the　spiritual　essence　attains　the

consciousness　and　feeling　of　itself。　These　grades　are　the　ground…principles　of　the　general　process；

but　how　each　of　them　on　the　other　hand　involves　within　itself　a　process　of　formation；　—

constituting　the　links　in　a　dialectic　of　transition；　—　to　particularise　this　may　be　reserved　for　the

sequel。

§　64

Here　we　have　only　to　indicate　that　Spirit　begins　with　a　germ　of　infinite　possibility；　but　only

possibility；　—　containing　its　substantial　existence　in　an　undeveloped　form；　as　the　object　and　goal

which　it　reaches　only　in　its　resultant　—　full　reality。　In　actual　existence　Progress　appears　as　an

advancing　from　the　imperfect　to　the　more　perfect；　but　the　former　must　not　be　understood

abstractly　as　only　the　imperfect；　but　as　something　which　involves　the　very　opposite　of　itself　—　the

so…called　perfect　—　as　a　germ　or　impulse。　So　—　reflectively；　at　least　…　possibility　points　to

something　destined　to　bee　actual；　the　Aristotelian　is　also　potentia；　power　and　might。　Thus　the

Imperfect；　as　involving　its　opposite；　is　a　contradiction；　which　certainly　exists；　but　which　is

continually　annulled　and　solved；　the　instinctive　movement　—　the　inherent　impulse　in　the　life　of　the

soul　—　to　break　through　the　rind　of　mere　nature；　sensuousness；　and　that　which　is　alien　to　it；　and　to

attain　to　the　light　of　consciousness；　i。e。　to　itself。

§　65

We　have　already　made　the　remark　how　the　mencement　of　the　history　of　Spirit　must　be

conceived　so　as　to　be　in　harmony　with　its　Idea　—　in　its　bearing　on　the　representations　that　have

been　made　of　a　primitive　“natural　condition；”　in　which　freedom　and　justice　are　supposed　to

exist；　or　to　have　existed。　This　was；　however；　nothing　more　than　an　assumption　of　historical

existence；　conceived　in　the　twilight　of　theorising　reflection。　A　pretension　of　quite　another　order；　—

not　a　mere　inference　of　reasoning；　but　making　the　claim　of　historical　fact；　and　that　supernaturally

confirmed；　—　is　put　forth　in　connection　with　a　different　view　that　is　now　widely　promulgated　by　a

certain　class　of　speculatists。　This　view　takes　up　the　idea　of　the　primitive　paradisaical　condition　of

man；　which　had　been　previously　expanded　by　the　Theologians；　after　their　fashion；　—　involving；

e。g。；　the　supposition　that　God　spoke　with　Adam　in　Hebrew；　—　but　remodelled　to　suit　other

requirements。　The　high　authority　appealed　to　in　the　first　instance　is　the　biblical　narrative。　But　this

depicts　the　primitive　condition；　partly　only　in　the　few　well…known　traits；　but　partly　either　as　in　man

generically；　—　human　nature　at　large；　—　or；　so　far　as　Adam　is　to　be　taken　as　an　individual；　and