第一小说网

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第17部分（第1页）

into　relief　in　contrast　with　the　so…called　non…essential。　But　in　order　to　render　this　possible；　we　must

know　what　is　essential；　and　that　is　—　in　view　of　the　History　of　the　World　in　general　—　the

Consciousness　of　Freedom；　and　the　phases　which　this　consciousness　assumes　in　developing　itself。

The　bearing　of　historical　facts　on　this　category；　is　their　bearing　on　the　truly　Essential。　Of　the

difficulties　stated；　and　the　opposition　exhibited　to　prehensive　conceptions　in　science；　part　must

be　referred　to　the　inability　to　grasp　and　understand　Ideas。　If　in　Natural　History　some　monstrous

hybrid　growth　is　alleged　as　an　objection　to　the　recognition　of　clear　and　indubitable　classes　or

species；　a　sufficient　reply　is　furnished　by　a　sentiment　often　vaguely　urged；　—　that　“the　exception

confirms　the　rule；”　i。e。；　that　it　is　the　part　of　a　well…defined　rule；　to　hew　the　conditions　in　which　it

applies；　or　the　deficiency　or　hybridism　of　cases　that　are　abnormal。　Mere　Nature　is　too　weak　to

keep　its　genera　and　species　pure；　when　conflicting　with　alien　elementary　influences。　If；　e。g。；　on

considering　the　human　organisation　in　its　concrete　aspect；　we　assert　that　brain；　heart；　and　so　forth

are　essential　to　its　organic　life；　some　miserable　abortion　may　be　adduced；　which　has　on　the　whole

the　human　form；　or　parts　of　it；　—　which　has　been　conceived　in　a　human　body　and　has　breathed

after　birth　therefrom；　—　in　which　nevertheless　no　brain　and　no　heart　is　found。　If　such　an　instance　is

quoted　against　the　general　conception　of　a　human　being　—　the　objector　persisting　in　using　the

name；　coupled　with　a　superficial　idea　respecting　it　—　it　can　be　proved　that　a　real；　concrete　human

being；　is　a　truly　different　object；　that　such　a　being　must　have　a　brain　in　its　bead；　and　a　heart　in　its

breast。

§　73

A　similar　process　of　reasoning　is　adopted；　in　reference　to　the　correct　assertion　that　genius；　talent；

moral　virtues；　and　sentiments；　and　piety；　may　be　found　in　every　zone；　under　all　political

constitutions　and　conditions；　in　confirmation　of　which　examples　are　forthing　in　abundance。　If　in

this　assertion；　the　acpanying　distinctions　are　intended　to　be　repudiated　as　unimportant　or

non…essential；　reflection　evidently　limits　itself　to　abstract　categories；　and　ignores　the　specialities　of

the　object　in　question；　which　certainly　fall　under　no　principle　recognised　by　such　categories。　That

intellectual　position　which　adopts　such　merely　formal　points　of　view；　presents　a　vast　field　for

ingenious　questions；　erudite　views；　and　striking　parisons；　for　profound　seeming　reflections　and

declamations；　which　may　be　rendered　so　much　the　more　brilliant　in　proportion　as　the　subject　they

refer　to　is　indefinite；　and　are　susceptible　of　new　and　varied　forms　in　inverse　proportion　to　the

importance　of　the　results　that　can　be　gained　from　them；　and　the　certainly　and　rationality　of　their

issues。　Under　such　an　aspect　the　well　known　Indian　Epopees　may　be　pared　with　the　Homeric；

perhaps　—　since　it　is　the　vastness　of　the　imagination　by　which　poetical　genius　proves　itself　—

preferred　to　them；　as；　on　account　of　the　similarity　of　single　strokes　of　imagination　in　the　attributes

of　the　divinities；　it　has　been　contended　that　Greek　mythological　forms　may　be　recognised　in　those

of　India。　Similarly　the　Chinese　philosophy；　as　adopting　the　One　as　its　basis；　has　been　alleged　to　be

the　same　as　at　a　later　period　appeared　as　Eleatic　philosophy　and　as　the　Spinozistic　System；　while

in　virtue　of　its　expressing　itself　also　in　abstract　numbers　and　lines；　Pythagorean　and　Christian

principles　have　been　supposed　to　be　detected　in　it。　Instances　of　bravery　and　indomitable　courage；

—　traits　of　magnanimity；　of　self…denial；　and　self…sacrifice；　which　are　found　among　the　most　savage