第一小说网

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第4部分（第4页）

whole；　the　grand　object　of　the　Universe。　I　would　not　have　surrendered　this　hope　for　a　great　deal。

But　how　very　much　was　I　disappointed；　when；　having　zealously　applied　myself　to　the　writings　of

Anaxagoras；　I　found　that　he　adduces　only　external　causes；　such　as　Atmosphere；　Ether；　Water；

and　the　like。”　It　is　evident　that　the　defect　which　Socrates　plains　of　respecting　Anaxagorass

doctrine；　does　not　concern　the　principle　itself；　but　the　shorting　of　the　propounder　in　applying　it

to　Nature　in　the　concrete。　Nature　is　not　deduced　from　that　principle：　the　latter　remains　in　fact　a

mere　abstraction；　inasmuch　as　the　former　is　not　prehended　and　exhibited　as　a　development　of

it；　—　an　organisation　produced　by　and　from　Reason。　I　wish；　at　the　very　outset；　to　call　your

attention　to　the　important　difference　between　a　conception；　a　principle；　a　truth　limited　to　an

abstract　form　and　its　determinate　application；　and　concrete　development。　This　distinction　affects

the　whole　fabric　of　philosophy；　and　among　other　bearings　of　it　there　is　one　to　which　we　shall　have

to　revert　at　the　close　of　our　view　of　Universal　History；　in　investigating　the　aspect　of　political　affairs

in　the　most　recent　period。

§　17

We　have　next　to　notice　the　rise　of　this　idea　—　that　Reason　directs　the　World　—　in　connection　with

a　further　application　of　it；　well　known　to　us；　—　in　the　form；　viz。　of　the　religious　truth；　that　the

world　is　not　abandoned　to　chance　and　external　contingent　causes；　but　that　a　Providence　controls

it。　I　stated　above；　that　I　would　not　make　a　demand　on　your　faith；　in　regard　to　the　principle

announced。　Yet　I　might　appeal　to　your　belief　in　it；　in　this　religious　aspect；　if；　as　a　general　rule；　the

nature　of　philosophical　science　allowed　it　to　attach　authority　to　presuppositions。　To　put　it　in

another　shape；　—　this　appeal　is　forbidden；　because　the　science　of　which　we　have　to　treat；

proposes　itself　to　furnish　the　proof　（not　indeed　of　the　abstract　Truth　of　the　doctrine；　but）　of　its

correctness　as　pared　with　facts。　The　truth；　then；　that　a　Providence　（that　of　God）　presides　over

the　events　of　the　World　—　consorts　with　the　proposition　in　question；　for　Divine　Providence　is

Wisdom；　endowed　with　an　infinite　Power　which　realises　its　aim；　viz。　the　absolute　rational…design　of

the　World。　Reason　is　Thought　conditioning　itself　with　perfect　freedom。　But　a　difference　—　rather　a

contradiction　—　will　manifest　itself；　between　this　belief　and　our　principle；　just　as　was　the　case　in

reference　to　the　demand　made　by　Socrates　in　the　case　of　Anaxagorass　dictum。　For　that　belief　is

similarly　indefinite；　it　is　what　is　called　a　belief　in　a　general　Providence；　and　is　not　followed　out　into

definite　application；　or　displayed　in　its　bearing　on　the　grand　total　?