第一小说网

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第18部分（第2页）

former；　and　which　has　the　same　one　root　with　Thought。　As　it　is　not　the　brute；　but　only　the　man　that

thinks；　he　only　—　and　only　because　he　is　a　thinking　being　—　has　Freedom。　His　consciousness

imports　this；　that　the　individual　prehends　itself　as　a　person；　that　is；　recognises　itself　in　its　single

existence　as　possessing　universality；　—　as　capable　of　abstraction　from；　and　of　surrendering　all

speciality；　and；　therefore；　as　inherently　infinite。　Consequently　those　spheres　of　intelligence　which　lie

beyond　the　limits　of　this　consciousness　are　a　mon　ground　among　those　substantial　distinctions。

Even　morality；　which　is　so　intimately　connected　with　the　consciousness　of　freedom；　can　be　very

pure　while　that　consciousness　is　still　wanting；　as　far；　that　is　to　say；　as　it　expresses　duties　and　rights

only　as　objective　mands；　or　even　as　far　as　it　remains　satisfied　with　the　merely　formal　elevation

of　the　soul　—　the　surrender　of　the　sensual；　and　of　all　sensual　motives　—　in　a　purely　negative；

self…denying　fashion。　The　Chinese　morality　—　since　Europeans　have　bee　acquainted　with　it

and　with　the　writings　of　Confucius　—　has　obtained　the　greatest　praise　and　proportionate　attention

from　those　who　are　familiar　with　the　Christian　morality。　There　is　a　similar　acknowledgment　of　the

sublimity　with　which　the　Indian　religion　and　poetry；　（a　statement　that　must；　however；　be　limited　to

the　higher　kind）；　but　especially　the　Indian　philosophy；　expatiate　upon　and　demand　the　removal　and

sacrifice　of　sensuality。　Yet　both　these　nations　are；　it　must　be　confessed；　entirely　wanting　in　the

essential　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom。　To　the　Chinese　their　moral　laws　are　just　like

natural　laws；　—　external；　positive　mands；　—　claims　established　by　force；　—　pulsory　duties

or　rules　of　courtesy　towards　each　other。　Freedom；　through　which　alone　the　essential；

determinations　of　Reason　bee　moral　sentiments；　is　wanting。　Morality　is　a　political　affair；　and　its

laws　are　administered　by　officers　of　government　and　legal　tribunals。　Their　treatises　upon　it　（which

are　not　law　books；　but　are　certainly　addressed　to　the　subjective　will　and　individual　disposition）

read；　—　as　do　the　moral　writings　of　the　Stoics　—　like　a　string　of　mands　stated　as　necessary　for

realising　the　goal　of　happiness；　so　that　it　seems　to　be　left　free　to　men；　on　their　part；　to　adopt　such

mands；　—　to　observe　them　or　not；　while　the　conception　of　an　abstract　subject；　“a　wise　man”

＇Sapiens＇　forms　the　culminating　point　among　the　Chinese；　as　also　among　the　Stoic　moralists。　Also

in　the　Indian　doctrine　of　the　renunciation　of　the　sensuality　of　desires　and　earthly　interests；　positive

moral　freedom　is　not　the　object　and　end；　but　the　annihilation　of　consciousness　—　spiritual　and　even

physical　privation　of　life。

§　80

It　is　the　concrete　spirit　of　a　people　which　we　have　distinctly　to　recognise；　and　since　it　is　Spirit　it