第一小说网

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第15部分（第3页）

physical　conceptions　and　mannerisms；　in　the　style　of　Fr。　v。　Schlegel；　though　with　more　geniality　than　the　latter）

in　his　periodical；　Le　Catholique；　—　has　furthered　the　cause　of　that　primitive　Catholicism　generally；　and　in

particular　has　gained　for　the　savants　of　the　Congregation　the　support　of　the　Government；　so　that　it　has　even

set　on　foot　expeditions　to　the　East；　in　order　to　discover　there　treasures　still　concealed；　（from　which　further

disclosures　have　been　anticipated；　respecting　profound　theological　questions；　particularly　on　the　higher

antiquity　and　sources　of　Buddhism）；　and　with　a　view　to　promote　the　interest　of　Catholicism　by　this　circuitous

but　scientifically　interesting　method。

§　67

We　owe　to　the　interest　which　has　occasioned　these　investigations；　very　much　that　is　valuable；　but

this　investigation　bears　direct　testimony　against　itself　for　it　would　seem　to　be　awaiting　the　issue　of

an　historical　demonstration　of　that　which　is　presupposed　by　it　as　historically　established。　That

advanced　condition　of　the　knowledge　of　God；　and　of　other　scientific；　e。g。；　astronomical

knowledge　（such　as　has　been　falsely　attributed　to　the　Hindus）；　and　the　assertion　that　such　a

condition　occurred　at　the　very　beginning　of　History；　—　or　that　the　religions　of　various　nations　were

traditionally　derived　from　it；　and　have　developed　themselves　in　degeneracy　and　depravation　（as　is

represented　in　the　rudely…conceived　so…called　“Emanation　System；”）；　—　all　these　are　suppositions

which　neither　have；　nor；　—　if　we　may　contrast　with　their　arbitrary　subjective　origin；　the　true

conception　of　History；　—　can　attain　historical　confirmation。

§　68

The　only　consistent　and　worthy　method　which　philosophical　investigation　can　adopt；　is　to　take　up

History　—　where　Rationality　begins　to　manifest　itself　in　the　actual　conduct　of　the　Worlds　affairs

（not　where　it　is　merely　an　undeveloped　potentiality）；　—　where　a　condition　of　things　is　present　in

which　it　realises　itself　in　consciousness；　will　and　action。　The　inorganic　existence　of　Spirit　—　that　of

abstract　Freedom　—　unconscious　torpidity　in　respect　to　good　and　evil　（and　consequently　to

laws）；　or；　if　we　please　to　term　it　so；　“blessed　ignorance；”　—　is　itself　not　a　subject　of　History。

Natural；　and　at　the　same　time　religious　morality；　is　the　piety　of　the　family。　In　this　social　relation；

morality　consists　in　the　members　behaving　towards　each　other　not　as　individuals　…　possessing　an

independent　will；　not　as　persons。　The　Family　therefore　is　excluded　from　that　process　of

development　in　which　History　takes　its　rise。　But　when　this　self…involved　spiritual　Unity　steps

beyond　this　circle　of　feeling　and　natural　love；　and　first　attains　the　consciousness　of　personality；　we

have　that　dark；　dull　centre　of　indifference；　in　which　neither　Nature　nor　Spirit　is　open　and