第一小说网

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第18部分（第4页）

ruins　of　some　ancient　sovereignty　directly　leads　us　to　contemplate　this　thought　of　change　in　its

negative　aspect。　What　traveller　among　the　ruins　of　Carthage；　of　Palmyra；　Persepolis；　or　Rome；　has

not　been　stimulated　by　reflections　on　the　transience　of　kingdoms　and　men；　and　to　sadness　at　the

thought　of　a　vigorous　and　rich　life　now　departed　—　a　sadness　which　does　not　expend　itself　on

personal　losses　and　the　uncertainty　of　ones　own　undertakings；　but　is　a　disinterested　sorrow　at　the

decay　of　a　splendid　and　highly　cultured　national　life！　But　the　next　consideration　which　allies　itself

with　that　of　change；　is；　that　chance　while　it　imports　dissolution；　involves　at　the　same　time　the　rise　of

a　new　life　—　that　while　death　is　the　issue　of　life；　life　is　also　the　issue　of　death。　This　is　a　grand

conception；　one　which　the　Oriental　thinkers　attained　and　which　is　perhaps　the　highest　in　their

metaphysics。　In　the　Idea　of　Metempsychosis　we　find　it　evolved　in　its　relation　to　individual

existence；　but　a　myth　more　generally　known；　is　that　of　the　Phoenix　as　a　type　of　the　Life　of

Nature；　eternally　preparing　for　itself　its　funeral　pile；　and　consuming　itself　upon　it；　but　so　that　from

its　ashes　is　produced　the　new；　renovated；　fresh　life。　But　this　image　is　only　Asiatic；　oriental　not

occidental。　Spirit　—　consuming　the　envelope　of　its　existence　—　does　not　merely　pass　into　another

envelope；　nor　rise　rejuvenescent　from　the　ashes　of　its　previous　form；　it　es　forth　exalted；

glorified；　a　purer　spirit。　It　certainly　makes　war　upon　itself　—　consumes　its　own　existence；　but　in　this

very　destruction　it　works　up　with　existence　into　a　new　form；　and　each　successive　phase　bees

in　its　turn　a　material；　working　on　which　it　exalts　itself　to　a　new　grade。

§　84

If　we　consider　Spirit　in　this　aspect　—　regarding　its　changes　not　merely　as　rejuvenescent　transitions；

i。e。；　returns　to　the　same　form；　but　rather　as　manipulations　of　itself；　by　which　it　multiplies　the

material　for　future　endeavours　—　we　see　it　exerting　itself　in　a　variety　of　modes　and　directions；

developing　its　powers　and　gratifying　its　desires　in　a　variety　which　is　inexhaustible；　because　every

one　of　its　creations；　in　which　it　has　already　found　gratification；　meets　it　anew　as　material；　and　is　a

new　stimulus　to　plastic　activity。　The　abstract　conception　of　mere　change　gives　place　to　the　thought

of　Spirit　manifesting；　developing；　and　perfecting　its　powers　in　every　direction　which　its　manifold

nature　can　follow。　What　powers　it　inherently　possesses　we　learn　from　the　variety　of　products　and

formations　which　it　originates。　In　this　pleasurable　activity；　it　has　to　do　only　with　itself。　As　involved

with　the　conditions　of　mere　nature　—　internal　and　external　—　it　will　indeed　meet　in　these　not　only

opposition　and　hindrance；　but　will　often　see　its　endeavours　t