第一小说网

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第12部分（第3页）

form　which　is　adapted　to　the　spirit　of　the　people。

§　48

In　a　Constitution　the　main　feature　of　interest　is　the　self…development　of　the　rational；　that　is；　the

political　condition　of　a　people；　the　setting　free　of　the　successive　elements　of　the　Idea：　so　that　the

several　powers　in　the　State　manifest　themselves　as　separate；　…　attain　their　appropriate　and　special

perfection；　…　and　yet　in　this　independent　condition；　work　together　for　one　object；　and　are　held

together　by　it　…　i。e。；　form　an　organic　whole。　The　State　is　thus　the　embodiment　of　rational　freedom；

realising　and　recognising　itself　in　an　objective　form。　For　its　objectivity　consists　in　this；　…　that　its

successive　stages　are　not　merely　ideal；　but　are　present　in　an　appropriate　reality；　and　that　in　their

separate　and　several　working；　they　are　absolutely　merged　in　that　agency　by　which　the　totality　…　the

soul　…　the　individual　unity　…　is　produced；　and　of　which　it　is　the　result。

§　49

The　State　is　the　Idea　of　Spirit　in　the　external　manifestation　of　human　Will　and　its　Freedom。　It　is　to

the　State；　therefore；　that　change　in　the　aspect　of　History　indissolubly　attaches　itself；　and　the

successive　phases　of　the　Idea　manifest　themselves　in　it　as　distinct　political　principles。　The

Constitutions　under　which　World…Historical　peoples　have　reached　their　culmination；　are　peculiar

to　them；　and　therefore　do　not　present　a　generally　applicable　political　basis。　Were　it　otherwise；　the

differences　of　similar　constitutions　would　consist　only　in　a　peculiar　method　of　expanding　and

developing　that　generic　basis；　whereas　they　really　originate　in　diversity　of　principle。　From　the

parison　therefore　of　the　political　institutions　of　the　ancient　World…Historical　peoples；　it　so

happens；　that　for　the　most　recent　principle　of　a　Constitution　…　for　the　principle　of　our　own　times　…

nothing　（so　to　speak）　can　be　learned。　In　science　and　art　it　is　quite　otherwise；　e。　g。；　the　ancient

philosophy　is　so　decidedly　the　basis　of　the　modern；　that　it　is　inevitably　contained　in　the　latter；　and

constitutes　its　basis。　In　this　case　the　relation　is　that　of　a　continuous　development　of　the　same

structure；　whose　foundation…stone；　walls；　and　roof　have　remained　what　they　were。　In　Art；　the

Greek　itself；　in　its　original　form；　furnishes　us　the　best　models。　But　in　regard　to　political　constitution；

it　is　quite　otherwise：　here　the　Ancient　and　the　Modern　have　not　their　essential　principle　in　mon。

Abstract　definitions　and　dogmas　respecting　just　government；　…　importing　that　intelligence　and　virtue

ought　to　bear　sway　…　are；　indeed；　mon　to　both。　But　nothing　is　so　absurd　as　to　look　to　Greeks；

Romans；　or　Orientals；　for　models　for　the　political　arrangements　of　our　time。　From　the　East　may　be

derived　beautiful　pictures　of　a　patriarchal　condition；　of　paternal　government；　and　of　devotion　to　it

on　the　part　of　peoples；　from　Greeks　and　Romans；　descriptions　of　popular　liberty。　Among　the　latter

we　find　the　idea　of　a　Free　Constitution　admitting　all　the　citizens　to　a　share　in　deliberations　and

resolves　respecting　the　affairs　and　laws　of　the　monwealth。　In　our　times；　too；　this　is　its　general

acceptation；　only　with　this　modification；　that　…　since　our　States　are　so　large；　and　there　are　so　many

of　〃the　Many；〃　the　latter；　…　direct　action　being　impossible；　…　should　by　the　indirect　method　of

elective　substitution　express　their　concurrence　with　resolves　affecting　the　mon　weal；　that　is；

that　for　legislative　purposes　generally；　the　people　should　be　represented　by　dep