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incoherent　concourse　of　fortuitous　circumstances；　utterly　vanishes。　Philosophy　wishes　to　discover

the　substantial　purport；　the　real　side　of　the　divine　idea　and　to　justify　the　so　much　despised　Reality

of　things；　for　Reason　is　the　prehension　of　the　Divine　work。　But　as　to　what　concerns　the

perversion；　corruption；　and　ruin　of　religious；　ethical　and　moral　purposes；　and　states　of　society

generally；　it　must　be　affirmed；　that　in　their　essence　these　are　infinite　and　eternal；　but　that　the　forms

they　assume　may　be　of　a　limited　orders　and　consequently　belong　to　the　domain　of　mere　nature；

and　be　subject　to　the　sway　of　chance。　They　are　therefore　perishable；　and　exposed　to　decay　and

corruption。　Religion　and　morality　—　in　the　same　way　as　inherently　universal　essences　—　have　the

peculiarity　of　being　present　in　the　individual　soul；　in　the　full　extent　of　their　Idea；　and　therefore　truly

and　really；　although　they　may　not　manifest　themselves　in　it　in　extenso；　and　are　not　applied　to　fully

developed　relations。　The　religion；　the　morality　of　a　limited　sphere　of　life　—　that　of　a　shepherd　or　a

peasant；　e。g。　—　in　its　intensive　concentration　and　limitation　to　a　few　perfectly　simple　relations　of

life；　—　has　infinite　worth；　the　same　worth　as　the　religion　and　morality　of　extensive　knowledge；　and

of　an　existence　rich　in　the　pass　of　its　relations　and　actions。　This　inner　focus　—　this　simple

region　of　the　claims　of　subjective　freedom；　—　the　home　of　volition；　resolution；　and　action；　—　the

abstract　sphere　of　conscience；　—　that　which　prises　the　responsibility　and　moral　value　of　the

individual；　remains　untouched；　and　is　quite　shut　out　from　the　noisy　din　of　the　Worlds　History　—

including　not　merely　external　and　temporal　changes；　but　also　those　entailed　by　the　absolute

necessity　inseparable　from　the　realisation　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom　itself。　But　as　a　general　truth　this

must　be　regarded　as　settled；　that　whatever　in　the　world　possesses　claims　as　noble　and　glorious；

has　nevertheless　a　higher　existence　above　it。　The　claim　of　the　World…Spirit　rises　above　all　special

claims。

§　39

These　observations　may　suffice　in　reference　to　the　means　which　the　World…Spirit　uses　for　realising

its　Idea。　Stated　simply　and　abstractly；　this　mediation　involves　the　activity　of　personal　existences　in

whom　Reason　is　present　as　their　absolute　substantial　being；　but　a　basis；　in　the　first　instance；　still

obscure　and　unknown　to　them。　But　the　subject　bees　more　plicated　and　difficult　when　we

regard　individuals　not　merely　in　their　aspect　of　activity；　but　more　concretely；　in　conjunction　with　a

particular　manifestation　of　that　activity　in　their　religion　and　morality；　—　forms　of　existence　which　are

intimately　connected　with　Reason；　and　share　in　its　absolute　claims。　Here　the　relation　of　mere

means　of　an　end　disappears；　and　the　chief　hearings　of　this　seeming　difficulty　in　reference　to　the

absolute　aim　of　Spirit；　have　been　briefly　considered。

III。　Philosophic　History

ii。　The　Essential　Destiny　of　Reason

（3）　The　Embodiment　Spirit　Assumes　—　the　State

§　40

The　third　point　to　be　analysed　is；　therefore　…　what　is　the　object　to　be　realised　by　these　means；　i。e。

what　is　the　form　it　assumes　in　the　realm　of　reality。　We　have　spoken　of　means；　but　in　the　carrying

out　of　a　subjective；　limited　aim；　we　have　also　to　take　into　consideration　the　element　of　a　material；

either　already　present　or　which　has　to　be　procured。　Thus　the　question　would　arise：　What　is　the