第一小说网

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第17部分（第3页）

whatever　it　be；　into　its　constituent　parts；　and　the　prehension　of　these　in　their　logical　definitions

and　forms。　It　is　not　the　free　universality　of　conception　necessary　for　making　an　abstract　principle

the　object　of　consciousness。　Such　a　consciousness　of　Thought　itself；　and　of　its　forms　isolated　from

a　particular　object；　is　Philosophy。　This　has；　indeed；　the　condition　of　its　existence　in　culture；　that

condition　being　the　taking　up　of　the　object　of　thought；　and　at　the　same　time　clothing　it　with　the

form　of　universality；　in　such　a　way　that　the　material　content　and　the　form　given　by　the　intellect　are

held　in　an　inseparable　state；　—　inseparable　to　such　a　degree　that　the　object　in　question　…which；　by

the　analysis　of　one　conception　into　a　multitude　of　conceptions；　is　enlarged　to　an　incalculable

treasure　of　thought　—　is　regarded　as　a　merely　empirical　datum　in　whose　formation　thought　has　bad

no　share。

§　76

But　it　is　quite　as　much　an　act　of　Thought　—　of　the　Understanding　in　particular　—　to　embrace　in　one

simple　conception　object　which　of　itself　prehends　a　concrete　and　large　significance　（as　Earth；

Man；　…Alexander　or　Caesar）　and　to　designate　it　by　one　word；　—　as　to　resolve　such　a　conception

—　duly　to　isolate　in　idea　the　conceptions　which　it　contains；　and　to　give　them　particular　names。　And

in　reference　to　the　view　which　gave　occasion　to　what　has　just　been　said；　thus　much　will　be　clear；

—　that　as　reflection　produces　what　we　include　under　the　general　terms　Genius；　Talent；　Art；

Science；　—　formal　culture　on　every　grade　of　intellectual　development；　not　only　can；　but　must　grow；

and　attain　a　mature　bloom；　while　the　grade　in　question　is　developing　itself　to　a　State；　and　on　this

basis　of　civilisation　is　advancing　to　intelligent　reflection　and　to　general　forms　of　thought；　—　as　in

laws；　so　in　regard　to　all　else。　In　the　very　association　of　men　in　a　state；　lies　the　necessity　of　formal

culture　—　consequently　of　the　rise　of　the　sciences　and　of　a　cultivated　poetry　and　art　generally。　The

arts　designated　“plastic；”　require　besides；　even　in　their　technical　aspect；　the　civilised　association

of　men。　The　poetic　art　—　which　has　less　need　of　external　requirements　and　means；　and　which　has

the　element　of　immediate　existence；　the　voice；　as　its　material　—　steps　forth　with　great　boldness　and

with　matured　expression；　even　under　the　conditions　presented　by　a　people　not　yet　united　in　a

political　bination；　since；　as　remarked　above；　language　attains　on　its　own　particular　ground　a

high　intellectual　development；　prior　to　the　mencement　of　civilisation。

§　77

Philosophy　also　must　make　its　appearance　where　political　life　exists；　since　that　in　virtue　of　which

any　series　of　phenomena　is　reduced　within　the　sphere　of　culture；　as　above　stated；　is　the　Form

strictly　proper　to　Thought；　and　thus　for　philosophy；　which　is　nothing　other　than　the　consciousness

of　this　form　itself　—　the　Thinking　of　Thinking；…　the　material　of　which　its　edifice　is　to　be　constructed；

is　already　prepared　by　general　culture。　If　in　the　development　of　the　State　itself；　periods　are

necessitated　which　impel　the　soul　of　nobler　natures　to　seek　refuge　from　the　Present　in　ideal

regions；　—　in　order　to　find　in　them　that　harmony　with　itself　which　it　can　no　longer　enjoy　in　the

discordant　real　world；　where　the　reflective　intelligence　attacks　all　that　is　holy　and　deep；　which　had

been　spontaneously　inwrought　into　the　religion；　laws　and　manners　of　nations；　and　brings　them

down　and　attenuates　them　to　abstract　godless　generalities；　—　Thought　will　be　pelled　to

bee　Thinking　Reason；　with　the　view　of　effecting　in　its　own　element；　the　restoration　of　it