第一小说网

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第2部分（第2页）

i。　　　Reason　Governs　the　World

ii。　　Essential　destiny　of　Reason

（1）　The　Abstract　Characteristics　of　the　Nature　of　Spirit

（2）　The　Means　Spirit　Uses　to　Realize　Its　Idea

（3）　The　Embodiment　Spirit　Assumes　…　the　State

iii。　The　Course　of　the　Worlds　History

I。Original　History

§　1

Of　the　first　kind；　the　mention　of　one　or　two　distinguished　names　will　furnish　a　definite　type。　To　this

category　belong　Herodotus；　Thucydides；　and　other　historians　of　the　same　order；　whose

descriptions　are　for　the　most　part　limited　to　deeds；　events；　and　states　of　society；　which　they　had

before　their　eyes；　and　whose　spirit　they　shared。　They　simply　transferred　what　was　passing　in　the

world　around　them；　to　the　realm　of　representative　intellect。　An　external　phenomenon　is　thus

translated　into　an　internal　conception。　In　the　same　way　the　poet　operates　upon　the　material

supplied　him　by　his　emotions；　projecting　it　into　an　image　for　the　conceptive　faculty。　These　original

historians　did；　it　is　true；　find　statements　and　narratives　of　other　men　ready　to　hand。　One　person

cannot　be　an　eye　and　ear　witness　of　everything。　But　they　make　use　of　such　aids　only　as　the　poet

does　of　that　heritage　of　an　already…formed　language；　to　which　he　owes　so　much；　merely　as　an

ingredient。　Historiographers　bind　together　the　fleeting　elements　of　story；　and　treasure　them　up　for

immortality　in　the　Temple　of　Mnemosyne。　Legends；　Ballad…stories；　Traditions　must　be　excluded

from　such　original　history。　These　are　but　dim　and　hazy　forms　of　historical　apprehension；　and

therefore　belong　to　nations　whose　intelligence　is　but　half　awakened。　Here；　on　the　contrary；　we

have　to　do　with　people　fully　conscious　of　what　they　were　and　what　they　were　about。　The　domain

of　reality　—　actually　seen；　or　capable　of　being　so　—　affords　a　very　different　basis　in　point　of

firmness　from　that　fugitive　and　shadowy　element；　in　which　were　engendered　those　legends　and

poetic　dreams　whose　historical　prestige　vanishes；　as　soon　as　nations　have　attained　a　mature

individuality。

§　2

Such　original　historians；　then；　change　the　events；　the　deeds　and　the　states　of　society　with　which

they　are　conversant；　into　an　object　for　the　conceptive　faculty。　The　narratives　they　leave　us　cannot；

therefore；　be　very　prehensive　in　their　range。　Herodotus；　Thucydides；　Guieciardini；　may　be

taken　as　fair　samples　of　the　class　in　this　respect。　What　is　present　and　living　in　their　environment；　is

their　proper　material。　The　influences　that　have　formed　the　writer　are　identical　with　those　which

have　moulded　the　events　that　constitute　the　matter　of　his　story。　The　authors　spirit；　and　that　of　the