多多读书

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第17部分（第2页）

and　the　most　pusillanimous　nations；　—　are　regarded　as　sufficient　to　support　the　view　that　in　these

nations　as　much　of　social　virtue　and　morality　may　be　found　as　in　the　most　civilised　Christian　states；

or　even　more。　And　on　this　ground　a　doubt　has　been　suggested　whether　in　the　progress　of　history

and　of　general　culture　mankind　have　bee　better；　whether　their　morality　has　been　increased；　—

morality　being　regarded　in　a　subjective　aspect　and　view；　as　founded　on　what　the　agent　holds　to　be

right　and　wrong；　good　and　evil；　not　on　a　principle　which　is　considered　to　be　in　and　for　itself　right

and　good；　or　a　crime　and　evil；　or　on　a　particular　religion　believed　to　be　the　true　one。

§　74

We　may　fairly　decline　on　this　occasion　the　task　of　tracing　the　formalism　and　error　of　such　a　view；

and　establishing　the　true　principles　of　morality；　or　rather　of　social　virtue　in　opposition　to　false

morality。　For　the　History　of　the　World　occupies　a　higher　ground　than　that　on　which　morality　has

properly　its　position；　which　is　personal　character　—　the　conscience　of　individuals；　—　their　particular

will　and　mode　of　action；　these　have　a　value；　imputation；　reward　or；　punishment　proper　to

themselves。　What　the　absolute　aim　of　Spirit　requires　and　acplishes；　—　what　Providence　does；

—　transcends　the　obligations；　and　the　liability　to　imputation　and　the　ascription　of　good　or　bad

motives；　which　attach　to　individuality　in　virtue　of　its　social　relations。　They　who　on　moral　grounds；

and　consequently　with　noble　intention；　have　resisted　that　which　the　advance　of　the　Spiritual　Idea

makes　necessary；　stand　higher　in　moral　worth　than　those　whose　crimes　have　been　turned　into　the

means　—　under　the　direction　of　a　superior　principle　—　of　realising　the　purposes　of　that　principle。

But　in　such　revolutions　both　parties　generally　stand　within　the　limits　of　the　same　circle　of　transient

and　corruptible　existence。　Consequently　it　is　only　a　formal　rectitude　—　deserted　by　the　living　Spirit

and　by　God　—　which　those　who　stand　upon　ancient　right　and　order　maintain。　The　deeds　of　great

men；　who　are　the　Individuals　of　the　Worlds　History；　thus　appear　not　only　justified　in　view　of　that

intrinsic　result　of　which　they　were　not　conscious；　but　also　from　the　point　of　view　occupied　by　the

secular　moralist。　But　looked　at　from　this　point；　moral　claims　that　are　irrelevant；　must　not　be

brought　into　collision　with　world…historical　deeds　and　their　acplishment。　The　Litany　of　private

virtues　—　modesty；　humility；　philanthropy　and　forbearance　—　must　not　be　raised　against　them。　The

History　of　the　World　might；　on　principle；　entirely　ignore　the　circle　within　which　morality　and　the　so

much　talked　of　distinction　between　the　moral　and　the　politic　lies　—　not　only　in　abstaining　from

judgments；　for　the　principles　involved；　and　the　necessary　reference　of　the　deeds　in　question　to

those　principles；　are　a　sufficient　judgment　of　them　—　but　in　leaving　Individuals　quite　out　of　view

and　unmentioned。　What　it　has　to　record　is　the　activity　of　the　Spirit　of　Peoples；　so　that　the

individual　forms　which　that　spirit　has　assumed　in　the　sphere　of　outward　reality；　might　be　left　to　the

delineation　of　special　histories。

§　75

The　same　kind　of　formalism　avails　itself　in　its　peculiar　manner　of　the　indefiniteness　attaching　to

genius；　poetry；　and　even　philosophy；　thinks　equally　that　it　finds　these　everywhere。　We　have　here

products　of　reflective　thought；　and　it　is　familiarity　with　those　general　conceptions　which　single　out

and　name　real　distinctions　without　fathoming　the　true　depth　of　the　matter；　—　that　we　call　Culture。　It

is　something　merely　formal；　inasmuch　as　it　aims　at　nothing　more　than　the　analysis　of　the　subject；