第一小说网

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第3部分（第4页）

truth　and　reality；　or　referred　to　merely　external　relations。　In　the　latter　case；　these　important

phenomena　（Art。；　Law；　Religion；　&c。）　appear　as　purely　accidental　national　peculiarities。　It　must　be

remarked　that；　when　Reflective　History　has　advanced　to　the　adoption　of　general　points　of　view；　if

the　position　taken　is　a　true　one；　these　are　found　to　constitute　…　not　merely　external　thread；　a

superficial　series　…　but　are　the　inward　guiding　soul　of　the　occurrences　and　actions　that　occupy　a

nations　annals。　For；　like　the　soul…conductor　Mercury；　the　Idea　is　in　truth；　the　leader　of　peoples

and　of　the　World；　and　Spirit；　the　rational　and　necessitated　will　of　that　conductor；　is　and　has　been

the　director　of　the　events　of　the　Worlds　History。　To　bee　acquainted　with　Spirit　in　this　its　office

of　guidance；　is　the　object　of　our　present　undertaking。　This　brings　us　to　。。。

Philosophic　History

III。　Philosophic　History

i。　Reason　Governs　the　World　…　ii。　The　Destiny　of　Reason　…　iii。　World　History

§　11

The　third　kind　of　history；　—　the　Philosophical。　No　explanation　was　needed　of　the　two　previous

classes；　their　nature　was　self…evident。　It　is　otherwise　with　this　last；　which　certainly　seems　to　require

an　exposition　or　justification。　The　most　general　definition　that　can　be　given；　is；　that　the　Philosophy

of　History　means　nothing　but　the　thoughtful　consideration　of　it。　Thought　is；　indeed。；　essential　to

humanity。　It　is　this　that　distinguishes　us　from　the　brutes。　In　sensations　cognition　and　intellection；　in

our　instincts　and　volitions；　as　far　as　they　are　truly　human　Thought　is　an　invariable　element。　To　insist

upon　Thought　in　this　connection　with　history；　may；　however；　appear　unsatisfactory。　In　this　science

it　would　seem　as　if　Thought　must　be　subordinate　to　what　is　given　to　the　realities　of　fact；　that　this　is

its　basis　and　guide：　while　Philosophy　dwells　in　the　region　of　self…produced　ideas；　without　reference

to　actuality。　Approaching　history　thus　prepossessed；　Speculation　might　be　expected　to　treat　it　as　a

mere　passive　material；　and；　so　far　from　leaving　it　in　its　native　truth；　to　force　it　into　conformity　with　a

tyrannous　idea；　and　to　construe　it；　as　the　phrase　is；　“à　priori。”　But　as　it　is　the　business　of　history

simply　to　adopt　into　its　records　what　is　and　has　been；　actual　occurrences　and　transactions；　and

since　it　remains　true　to　its　character　in　proportion　as　it　strictly　adheres　to　its　data；　we　seem　to　have

in　Philosophy；　a　process　diametrically　opposed　to　that　of　the　historiographer。　This　contradiction；

and　the　charge　consequent　brought　against　speculation；　shall　be　explained　and　confuted。　We　do

not；　however；　propose　to　correct