第一小说网

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第6部分（第1页）

consciousness　of　ones　own　being。　Two　things　must　be　distinguished　in　consciousness；　first；　the

fact　that　I　know；　secondly；　what　I　know。　In　self　consciousness　these　are　merged　in　one；　for

Spirit　knows　itself。　It　involves　an　appreciation　of　its　own　nature；　as　also　an　energy　enabling　it　to

realise　itself；　to　make　itself　actually　that　which　it　is　potentially。　According　to　this　abstract　definition

it　may　be　said　of　Universal　History；　that　it　is　the　exhibition　of　Spirit　in　the　process　of　working　out

the　knowledge　of　that　which　it　is　potentially。　And　as　the　germ　bears　in　itself　the　whole　nature　of　the

tree；　and　the　taste　and　form　of　its　fruits；　so　do　the　first　traces　of　Spirit　virtually　contain　the　whole　of

that　History。　The　Orientals　have　not　attained　the　knowledge　that　Spirit　—　Man　as　such　—　is　free；

and　because　they　do　not　know　this　they　are　not　free。　They　only　know　that　one　is　free。　But　on　this

very　account；　the　freedom　of　that　one　is　only　caprice；　ferocity　—　brutal　recklessness　or　passion；　or

a　mildness　and　tameness　of　the　desires；　which　is　itself　only　an　accident　of　Nature　—　mere　caprice

like　the　former。　—　That　one　is　therefore　only　a　Despot；　not　a　free　man。　The　consciousness　of

Freedom　first　arose　among　the　Greeks；　and　therefore　they　were　free；　but　they；　and　the　Romans

likewise；　knew　only　that　some　are　free；　—　not　man　as　such。　Even　Plato　and　Aristotle　did　not　know

this。　The　Greeks；　therefore；　had　slaves；　and　their　whole　life　and　the　maintenance　of　their　splendid

liberty；　was　implicated　with　the　institution　of　slavery：　a　fact　moreover；　which　made　that　liberty　on

the　one　hand　only　an　accidental；　transient　and　limited　growth；　on　the　other　hand；　constituted　it　a

rigorous　thraldom　of　our　mon　nature　—　of　the　Human。　The　German　nations；　under　the

influence　of　Christianity；　were　the　first　to　attain　the　consciousness；　that　man；　as　man；　is　free：　that　it

is　the　freedom　of　Spirit　which　constitutes　its　essence。　This　consciousness　arose　first　in　religion；　the

inmost　region　of　Spirit；　but　to　introduce　the　principle　into　the　various　relations　of　the　actual　world；

involves　a　more　extensive　problem　than　its　simple　implantation；　a　problem　whose　solution　and

application　require　a　severe　and　lengthened　process　of　culture。　In　proof　of　this；　we　may　note　that

slavery　did　not　cease　immediately　on　the　reception　of　Christianity。　Still　less　did　liberty　predominate

in　States；　or　Governments　and　Constitutions　adopt　a　rational　organisation；　or　recognise　freedom

as　their　basis。　That　application　of　the　principle　to　political　relations；　the　thorough　moulding　and

interperation　of　the　constitution　of　society　by　it；　is　a　process　identical　with　history　itself。　I　have

already　directed　attention　to　the　distinction　here　involved；　between　a　principle　as　such；　and

its…application；　i。e。　its　introduction　and　carrying　out　in　the　actual　phenomena　of　Spirit　and　Life。

This　is　a　point　of　fundamental　importance　in　our　science；　and　one　which　must　be　constantly

respected　as　essential。　And　in　the　same　way　as　this　distinction　has　attracted　attention　in　view　of　the

Christian　principle　of　self…consciousness　—　Freedom；　it　also　shows　itself　as　an　essential　one；　in

view　of　the　principle　of　Freedom　generally。　The　History　of　the　world　is　none　other　than　the

progress　of　the　consciousness　of　Freedom；　a　progress　whose　development　according　to　the

necessity　of　its　nature；　it　is　our　business　to　investigate。

§　22

The　general　statement　given　above；　of　the　various　grades　in　the　consciousness　of　Freedom　—　and

which　we　applied　in　the　first　instance　to　the　fact　that　the　Eastern　nations　knew　only　that　one　is　free；

the　Greek　and　Roman　world　only　that　some　are　free；　whilst　we　know　that　all　men　absolutely　（man

as　man）　are　free；　—　supplies　us　with　the　natural　division　of　Universal　History；　and　suggests　the