第一小说网

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第16部分（第4页）

peculiarities　find　their　key　in　that　mon　peculiarity；　—　the　particular　principle　that　characterises　a

people；　as；　on　the　other　hand；　in　the　facts　which　History　presents　in　detail；　that　mon

characteristic　principle　may　be　detected。　That　such　or　such　a　specific　quality　constitutes　the

peculiar　genius　of　a　people；　is　the　element　of　our　inquiry　which　must　be　derived　from　experience；

and　historically　proved。　To　acplish　this；　presupposes　not　only　a　disciplined　faculty　of

abstraction；　but　an　intimate　acquaintance　with　the　Idea。　The　investigator　must　be　familiar　à　priori

（if　we　like　to　call　it　so）；　with　the　whole　circle　of　conceptions　to　which　the　principles　in　question

belong　—　just　as　Kepler　（to　name　the　most　illustrious　example　in　this　mode　of　philosophising）　must

have　been　familiar　à　priori　with　ellipses；　with　cubes　and　squares；　and　with　ideas　of　their　relations

before　be　could　discover；　from　the　empirical　data；　those　immortal　“Laws”　of　his；　which　are　none

other　than　forms　of　thought　pertaining　to　those　classes　of　conceptions。　He　who　is　unfamiliar　with

the　science　that　embraces　these　abstract　elementary　conceptions；　is　as　little　capable　—　though　he

may　have　gazed　on　the　firmament　and　the　motions　of　the　celestial　bodies　for　a　life…time　—　of

understanding　those　Laws；　as　of　discovering　them。　From　this　want　of　acquaintance　with　the

ideas　that　relate　to　the　development　of　Freedom；　proceed　a　part　of　those　objections　which　are

brought　against　the　philosophical　consideration　of　a　science　usually　regarded　as　one　of　mere

experience；　the　so…called　à　priori　method；　and　the　attempt　to　insinuate　ideas　into　the　empirical

data　of　history；　being　the　chief　points　in　the　indictment。　Where　this　deficiency　exists；　such

conceptions　appear　alien　—　not　lying　within　the　object　of　investigation。　To　minds　whose　training

has　been　narrow　and　merely　subjective；　—　iliarity　with

ideas；　—　they　are　something　strange　—　not　embraced　in　the　notion　and　conception　of　the　subject

which　their　limited　intellect　forms。　Hence　the　statement　that　Philosophy　does　not　understand　such

sciences。　It　must；　indeed；　allow　that　it　has　not　that　kind　of　Understanding　which　is　the　prevailing

one　in　the　domain　of　those　sciences　that　it　does　not　proceed　according　to　the　categories　of　such

Understanding；　but　according　to　the　categories　of　Reason　…　though　at　the　same　time　recognising

that　Understanding；　and　its　true　value　and　position。　It　must　be　observed　that　in　this　very　process　of

scientific　Understanding；　it　is　of　importance　that　the　essential　should　be　distinguished　and　brought

into　relief　in　contrast　with　the　so…called　non…e