第一小说网

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第16部分（第1页）

what　has　happened。　This　union　of　the　two　meanings　we　must　regard　as　of　a　higher　order　than　mere

outward　accident；　we　must　suppose　historical　narrations　to　have　appeared　contemporaneously

with　historical　deeds　and　events。　It　is　an　internal　vital　principle　mon　to　both　that　produces　them

synchronously。　Family　memorials；　patriarchal　traditions；　have　an　interest　confined　to　the　family　and

the　clan。　The　uniform　course　of　events　which　such　a　condition　implies；　is　no　subject　of　serious

remembrance；　though　distinct　transactions　or　turns　of　fortune；　may　rouse　Mnemosyne　to　form

conceptions　of　them；　—　in　the　same　way　as　love　and　the　religious　emotions　provoke　imagination　to

give　shape　to　a　previously　formless　impulse。　But　it　is　the　State　which　first　presents　subject…matter

that　is　not　only　adapted　to　the　prose　of　History；　but　involves　the　production　of　such　history　in　the

very　progress　of　its　own　being。　Instead　of　merely　subjective　mandates　on　the　part　of　government；

—　sufficing　for　the　needs　of　the　moment；　—　a　munity　that　is　acquiring　a　stable　existence；　and

exalting　itself　into　a　State；　requires　formal　mands　and　laws　—　prehensive　and　universally

binding　prescriptions；　and　thus　produces　a　record　as　well　as　an　interest　concerned　with　intelligent；

definite　—　and；　in　their　results　—　lasting　transactions　and　occurrences；　on　which　Mnemosyne；　for

the　behoof　of　the　perennial　object　of　the　formation　and　constitution　of　the　State；　is　impelled　to

confer　perpetuity。　Profound　sentiments　generally；　such　as　that　of　love；　as　also　religious　intuition　and

its　conceptions；　are　in　themselves　plete　—　constantly　present　and　satisfying；　but　that　outward

existence　of　a　political　constitution　which　is　enshrined　in　its　rational　laws　and　customs；　is　an

imperfect　Present；　and　cannot　be　thoroughly　understood　without　a　knowledge　of　the　past。

§　69

The　periods　—　whether　we　suppose　them　to　be　centuries　or　millennia　—　that　were　passed　by

nations　before　history　was　written　among　them；　—　and　which　may　have　been　filled　with

revolutions；　nomadic　wanderings；　and　the　strangest　mutations；　—　are　on　that　very　account　destitute

of　objective　history；　because　they　present　no　subjective　history；　no　annals。　We　need　not　suppose

that　the　records　of　such　periods　have　accidentally　perished；　rather；　because　they　were　not

possible；　do　we　find　them　wanting。　Only　in　a　State　cognisant　of　Laws；　can　distinct　transactions

take　place；　acpanied　by　such　a　clear　consciousness　of　them　as　supplies　the　ability　and

suggests　the　necessity　of　an　enduring　record。　It　strikes　every　one；　in　beginning　to　form　an

acquaintance　with　the　treasures　of　Indian　literature；　that　a　land　so　rich　in　intellectual　products；　and

those　of　the　profoundest　order　of　thought；　has　no　History；　and　in　this　respect　contrasts　most

strongly　with　China　—　an　empire　possessing　one　so　remarkable；　one　going　back　to　the　most