第一小说网

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第19部分（第2页）

by　the　conditions　thus　imposed。　This　mere　customary　life　（the　watch　wound　up　and　going　on　of

itself）　is　that　which　brings　on　natural　death。　Custom　is　activity　without　opposition；　for　which　there

remains　only　a　formal　duration；　in　which　the　fullness　and　zest　that　originally　characterised　the　aim　of

life　is　out　of　the　questions　merely　external　sensuous　existence　which　has　ceased　to　throw　itself

enthusiastically　into　its　object。　Thus　perish　individuals；　thus　perish　peoples　by　a　natural　death；　and

though　the　latter　may　continue　in　being；　it　is　an　existence　without　intellect　or　vitality；　having　no　need

of　its　institutions；　because　the　need　for　them　is　satisfied；　—　a　political　nullity　and　tedium。　In　order

that　a　truly　universal　interest　may　arise；　the　Spirit　of　a　People　must　advance　to　the　adoption　of

some　new　purpose：　but　whence　can　this　new　purpose　originate？　It　would　be　a　higher；　more

prehensive　conception　of　itself　—　a　transcending　of　its　principle　—　but　this　very　act　would

involve　a　principle　of　a　new　order；　a　new　National　Spirit。

§　86

Such　a　new　principle　does　in　fact　enter　into　the　Spirit　of　a　people　that　has　arrived　at　full

development　and　self…realisation；　it　dies　not　a　simply　natural　death　—　for　it　is　not　a　mere　single

individual；　but　a　spiritual；　generic　life；　in　its　case　natural　death　appears　to　imply　destruction　through

its　own　agency。　The　reason　of　this　difference　from　the　single　natural　individual　is　that　the　Spirit　of　a

people　exists　as　a　genus；　and　consequently　carries　within　it　its　own　negation；　in　the　very　generality

which　characterises　it。　A　people　can　only　die　a　violent　death　when　it　has　bee　naturally　dead　in

itself；　as　e。g。；　the　German　Imperial　Cities；　the　German　Imperial　Constitution。

§　87

It　is　not　of　the　nature　of　the　all…pervading　Spirit　to　die　this　merely　natural　death；　it　does　not　simply

sink　into　the　senile　life　of　mere　custom　but　—　as　being　a　National　Spirit　belonging　to　Universal

History　—　attains　to　the　consciousness　of　what　its　work　is；　it　attains　to　a　conception　of　itself。　In

fact　it　is　world…historical　only　in　so　far　as　a　universal　principle　has　lain　in　its　fundamental　element；

—　in　its　grand　aim：　only　so　far　is　the　work　which　such　a　spirit　produces；　a　moral；　political

organisation。　If　it　be　mere　desires　that　impel　nations　to　activity；　such　deeds　pass　over　without

leaving　a　trace；　or　their　traces　are　only　ruin　and　destruction。　Thus；　it　was　first　Chronos　—　Time　—

that　ruled；　the　Golden　Age；　without　moral　products；　and　what　was　produced　—　the　offspring　of

that　Chronos　—　was　devoured　by　it。　It　was　Jupiter　—　from　whose　head　Minerva　sprang；　and　to

whose　circle　of　divinities　belong　Apollo　and　the　Muses　—　that　first　put　a　constraint　upon　Time；　and

set　a　bound　to　its　principle　of　decadence。　He　is　the　Political　god；　who　produced　a　moral　work　—

the　State。