第一小说网

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第9部分（第3页）

possess　something　in　mon　with　it。　Human　beings　least　of　all；　sustain　the　bare　external　relation

of　mere　means　to　the　great　ideal　aim。　Not　only　do　they　in　the　very　act　of　realising　it；　make　it　the

occasion　of　satisfying　personal　desires；　whose　purport　is　diverse　from　that　aim　—　but　they　share　in

that　ideal　aim　itself；　and　are　for　that　very　reason　objects　of　their　own　existence；　not　formally

merely；　as　the　world　of　living　beings　generally　is　—　whose　individual　life　is　essentially　subordinate

to　that　of　man；　and　is　properly　used　up　as　an　instrument。　Men；　on　the　contrary；　are　objects　of

existence　to　themselves；　as　regards　the　intrinsic　import　of　the　aim　in　question。　To　this　order

belongs　that　in　them　which　we　would　exclude　from　the　category　of　mere　means；　…　Morality；　Ethics；

Religion。　That　is　to　say；　man　is　an　object　of　existence　in　himself　only　in　virtue　of　the　Divine　that　is　in

him；　—　that　which　was　designated　at　the　outset　as　Reason；　which；　in　view　of　its　activity　and　power

of　self…determination；　was　called　Freedom。　And　we　affirm　—　without　entering　at　present　on　the

proof　of　the　assertion　…that　Religion；　Morality；　&c。　have　their　foundation　and　source　in　that

principle；　and　so　are　essentially　elevated　above　all　alien　necessity　and　chance。　And　here　we　must

remark　that　individuals；　to　the　extent　of　their　freedom；　are　responsible　for　the　depravation　and

enfeeblement　of　morals　and　religion。　This　is　the　seal　of　the　absolute　and　sublime　destiny　of　man　—

that　be　knows　what　is　good　and　what　is　evil；　that　his　destiny　is　his　very　ability　to　will　either　good　or

evil；　—　in　one　word；　that　he　is　the　subject　of　moral　imputation；　imputation　not　only　of　evil；　but　of

good；　and　not　only　concerning　this　or　that　particular　matters　and　all　that　happens　ab　extra；　but

also　the　good　and　evil　attaching　to　his　individual　freedom。　The　brute　alone　is　simply　innocent。　It

would；　however　demand　an　extensive　explanation　—　as　extensive　as　the　analysis　of　moral　freedom

itself　—　to　preclude　or　obviate　all　the　misunderstandings　which　the　statement　that　what　is　called

innocent　imports　the　entire　unconsciousness　of　evil　—　is　wont　to　occasion。

§　38

In　contemplating　the　fate　which　virtue；　morality；　even　piety　experience　in　history；　we　must　not　fall

into　the　Litany　of　Lamentations；　that　the　good　and　pious　often　—　or　for　the　most　part　—　fare　ill　in

the　world；　while　the　evil…disposed　and　wicked　prosper。　The　term　prosperity　is　used　in　a　variety　of

meanings　—　riches；　outward　honour；　and　the　like。　But　in　speaking　of　something　which　in　and　for

itself　constitutes　an　aim　of　existence；　that　so…called　well　or　ill…faring　of　these　or　those　isolated

individuals　cannot　be　regarded　as　an　essential　element　in　the　rational　order　of　the　universe。　With

more　justice　than　happiness　—　or　a　fortunate　environment　for　individuals；　—　it　is　demanded　of　the

grand　aim　of　the　worlds　existence；　that　it　should　foster；　nay　involve　the　execution　and　ratification

of　good；　moral；　righteous　purposes。　What　makes　men　morally　discontented　（a　discontent；　by　the

bye；　on　which　they　somewhat　pride　themselves）；　is　that　they　do　not　find　the　present　adapted　to　the

realisation　of　aims　which　they　hold　to　be　right　and　just　（more　especially　in　modern　times；　ideals　of

political　constitutions）；　they　contrast　unfavourably　things　as　they　are；　with　their　idea　of　things　as

they　ought　to　be。　In　this　case　it　is　not　private　interest　nor　passion　that　desires　gratification；　but

Reason；　Justice；　Liberty；　and　equipped　with　this　title；　the　demand　in　question　assumes　a　lofty

bearing；　and　readily　adopts　a　position　not　merely　of　discontent；　but　of　open　revolt　against　the

actual　condition　of　the　world。　To　estimate　such　a　feeling　and　such　views　aright；　the　demands

insisted　upon；　and　the　very　dogmatic　opinions　asserted；　must　be　examined。　At　no　time