第一小说网

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第18部分（第3页）

can　only　be　prehended　spiritually；　that　is；　by　thought。　It　is　this　alone　which　takes　the　lead　in　all

the　deeds　and　tendencies　of　that　people；　and　which　is　occupied　in　realising　itself；　—　in　satisfying　its

ideal　and　being　self…conscious；　—　for　its　great　business　is　self…production。　But　for　spirit；　the

highest　attainment　is　self…knowledge；　an　advance　not　only　to　the　intuition；　but　to　the　thought　—

the　clear　conception　of　itself。　This　it　must　and　is　also　destined　to　acplish；　but　the

acplishment　is　at　the　same　time　its　dissolution。；　and　the　rise　of　another　spirit；　another

world…historical　people；　another　epoch　of　Universal　History。　This　transition　and　connection　leads

us　to　the　connection　of　the　whole　—　the　idea　of　the　Worlds　History　as　such　—　which　we　have　now

to　consider　more　closely；　and　of　which　we　have　to　give　a　representation。

§　81

History　in　general　is　therefore　the　development　of　Spirit　in　Time；　as　Nature　is　the　development　of

the　Idea　in　Space。

§　82

If　then　we　cast　a　glance　over　the　Worlds　History　generally；　we　see　a　vast　picture　of　changes　and

transactions；　of　infinitely　manifold　forms　of　peoples；　states；　individuals；　in　unresting　succession。

Everything　that　can　enter　into　and　interest　the　soul　of　man　—　all　our　sensibility　to　goodness；

beauty；　and　greatness　—　is　called　into　play。　On　every　hand　aims　are　adopted　and　pursued；　which

we　recognise；　whose　acplishment　we　desire　—　we　hope　and　fear　for　them。　In　all　these

occurrences　and　changes　we　behold　human　action　and　suffering　predominant；　everywhere

something　akin　to　ourselves；　and　therefore　everywhere　something　that　excites　our　interest　for　or

against。　Sometimes　it　attracts　us　by　beauty；　freedom；　and　rich　variety；　sometimes　by　energy　such

as　enables　even　vice　to　make　itself　interesting。　Sometimes　we　see　the　more　prehensive　mass

of　some　general　interest　advancing　with　parative　slowness　and　subsequently　sacrificed　to　an

infinite　plication　of　trifling　circumstances；　and　so　dissipated　into　atoms。　Then；　again；　with　a　vast

expenditure　of　power　a　trivial　result　is　produced；　while　from　what　appears　unimportant　a

tremendous　issue　proceeds。　On　every　hand　there　is　the　motliest　throng　of　events　drawing　us　within

the　circle　of　its　interest；　and　when　one　bination　vanishes　another　immediately　appears　in　its

place。

§　83

The　general　thought　—　the　category　which　first　presents　itself　in　this　restless　mutation　of　individuals

and　peoples；　existing　for　a　time　and　then　vanishing　—　is　that　of　change　at　large。　The　sight　of　the