第一小说网

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第7部分（第2页）

all　its　desires　and　powers　upon　it　—　we　may　affirm　absolutely　that　nothing　great　in　the　World　has

been　acplished　without　passion。　Two　elements；　therefore；　enter　into　the　object　of　our

investigation；　the　first　the　Idea；　the　second　the　plex　of　human　passions；　the　one　the　warp；　the

other　the　woof　of　the　vast　arras…web　of　Universal　History。　The　concrete　mean　and　union　of　the

two　is　Liberty；　under　the　conditions　of　morality　in　a　State。　We　have　spoken　of　the　Idea　of

Freedom　as　the　nature　of　Spirit；　and　the　absolute　goal　of　History。　Passion　is　regarded　as　a　thing　of

sinister　aspect；　as　more　or　less　immoral。　Man　is　required　to　have　no　passions。　Passion；　it　is　true；　is

not　quite　the　suitable　word　for　what　I　wish　to　express。　I　mean　here　nothing　more　than　human

activity　as　resulting　from　private　interests　—　special；　or　if　you　will；　self…seeking　designs　—　with　this

qualification；　that　the　whole　energy　of　will　and　character　is　devoted　to　their　attainment；　that　other

interests　（which　would　in　themselves　constitute　attractive　aims）；　or　rather　all　things　else；　are

sacrificed　to　them。　The　object　in　question　is　so　bound　up　with　the　mans　will；　that　it　entirely　and

alone　determines　the　“hue　of　resolution”　and　is　inseparable　from　it。　It　has　bee　the　very

essence　of　his　volition。　For　a　person　is　a　specific　existence；　not　man　in　general　（a　term　to　which　no

real　existence　corresponds）；　but　a　particular　human　being。　The　term　“character”　likewise

expresses　this　idiosyncrasy　of　Will　and　Intelligence。　But　Character　prehends　all　peculiarities

whatever；　the　way　in　which　a　person　conducts　himself　in　private　relations；　&c。；　and　is　not　limited

to　his　idiosyncrasy　in　its　practical　and　active　phase。　I　shall；　therefore；　use　the　term　“passion；”

understanding　thereby　the　particular　bent　of　character；　as　far　as　the　peculiarities　of　volition　are　not

limited　to　private　interest；　but　supply　the　impelling　and　actuating　force　for　acplishing　deeds

shared　in　by　the　munity　at　large。　Passion　is　in　the　first　instance　the　subjective；　and　therefore

the　formal　side　of　energy；　will；　and　activity　—　leaving　the　object　or　aim　still　undetermined。　And

there　is　a　similar　relation　of　formality　to　reality　in　merely　individual　conviction；　individual　views；

individual　conscience。　It　is　always　a　question；　of　essential　importance；　what　is　the　purport　of　my

conviction；　what　the　object　of　my　passion；　in　deciding　whether　the　one　or　the　other　is　of　a　true　and

substantial　nature。　Conversely；　if　it　is　so；　it　will　inevitably　attain　actual　existence　—　be　realised。

§　27

From　this　ment　on　the　second　essential　element　in　the　historical　embodiment　of　an　aim；　we

infer　—　glancing　at　the　institution　of　the　State　in　passing　—　that　a　State　is　then　well　constituted　and

internally　powerful；　when　the　private　interest　of　its　citizens　is　one　with　the　mon　interest　of　the

State；　when　the　one　finds　its　gratification　and　realisation　in　the　other；　—　a　proposition　in　itself　very

important。　But　in　a　State　many　institutions　must　be　adopted；　much　political　machinery　invented；

acpanied　by　appropriate　political　arrangements；　—　necessitating　long　struggles　of　the

understanding　before　what　is　really　appropriate　can　be　discovered；　—　involving；　moreover；

contentions　with　private　interest　and　passions；　and　a　tedious　discipline　of　these　latter；　in　order　to

bring　about　the　desired　harmony。　The　epoch　when　a　State　attains　this　harmonious　condition；

marks　the　period　of　its　bloom；　its　virtue；　its　vigour；　and　its　prosperity。　But　the　history　of　mankind

does　not　begin　with　a　conscious　aim　of　any　kind；　as　it　is　the　case　with　the　particular　circles　into

which　men　form　themselves　of　set　purpose。　The　mere　social　instinct　implies　a　conscious　purpose

of　security　for　life　and　property；　and　when　society　has　been　constituted；　this　purpose　bees