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

in　our　own；　have　such　general　principles　and　notions　been　advanced；　or　with　greater　assurance。　If

in　days　gone　by；　history　seems　to　present　itself　as　a　struggle　of　passions；　in　our　time　—　though

displays　of　passion　are　not　wanting　—　it　exhibits　partly　a　predominance　of　the　struggle　of　notions

assuming　the　authority　of　principles；　partly　that　of　passions　and　interests　essentially　subjective；　but

under　the　mask　of　such　higher　sanctions。　The　pretensions　thus　contended　for　as　legitimate　in　the

name　of　that　which　has　been　stated　as　the　ultimate　aim　of　Reason；　pass　accordingly；　for　absolute

aims；　—　to　the　same　extent　as　Religion；　Morals；　Ethics。　Nothing；　as　before　remarked；　is　now　more

mon　than　the　plaint　that　the　ideals　which　imagination　sets　up　are　not　realised　—　that　these

glorious　dreams　are　destroyed　by　cold　actuality。　These　Ideals　—　which　in　the　voyage　of　life

founder　on　the　rocks　of　hard　reality　—　may　be　in　the　first　instance　only　subjective；　and　belong　to

the　idiosyncrasy　of　the　individual；　imagining　himself　the　highest　and　wisest。　Such　do　not　properly

belong　to　this　category。　For　the　fancies　which　the　individual　in　his　isolation　indulges；　cannot　be　the

model　for　universal　reality；　just　as　universal　law　is　not　designed　for　the　units　of　the　mass。　These　as

such　may；　in　fact；　find　their　interests　decidedly　thrust　into　the　background。　But　by　the　term

“Ideal；”　we　also　understand　the　ideal　of　Reason；　of　the　Good；　of　the　True。　Poets；　as　e。g。

Schiller；　have　painted　such　ideals　touchingly　and　with　strong　emotion；　and　with　the　deeply

melancholy　conviction　that　they　could　not　be　realised。　In　affirming；　on　the　contrary　that　the

Universal　Reason　does　realise　itself；　we　leave　indeed　nothing　to　do　with　the　individual　empirically

regarded。　That　admits　of　degrees　of　better　and　worse；　since　here　chance　and　speciality　have

received　authority　from　the　Idea　to　exercise　their　monstrous　power。　Much；　therefore；　in　particular

aspects　of　the　grand　phenomenon　might　be　found　fault　with。　This　subjective　fault…finding；　—　which；

however；　only　keeps　in　view　the　individual　and　its　deficiency；　without　taking　notice　of　Reason

pervading　the　whole；　—　is　easy；　and　inasmuch　as　it　asserts　an　excellent　intention　with　regard　to　the

good　of　the　whole；　and　seems　to　result　from　a　kindly　heart；　it　feels　authorised　to　give　itself　airs　and

assume　great　consequence。　It　is　easier　to　discover　a　deficiency　in　individuals；　in　states；　and　in

Providence；　than　to　see　their　real　import　and　value。　For　in　this　merely　negative　fault…finding　a

proud　position　is　taken；　—　one　which　overlooks　the　object；　without　having　entered　into　it；　—

without　having　prehended　its　positive　aspect。　Age　generally　makes　men　more　tolerant；　youth　is

always　discontented。　The　tolerance　of　age　is　the　result　of　the　ripeness　of　a　judgment　which；　…　not

merely　as　the　result　of　indifference；　is　satisfied　even　with　what　is　inferior；　but；　more　deeply　taught

by　the　grave　experience　of　life；　has　been　led　to　perceive　the　substantial；　solid　worth　of　the　object

in　question。　The　insight　then　to　which　—　in　contradistinction　from　those　ideals　—　philosophy　is　to

lead　us；　is；　that　the　real　world　is　as　it　ought　to　be　—　that　the　truly　good　—　the　universal　divine

reason　—　is　not　a　mere　abstraction；　but　a　vital　principle　capable　of　realising　itself。　This　Good；　this

Reason；　in　its　most　concrete　form；　is　God。　God　governs　the　world；　the　actual　working　of　his

government　—　the　carrying　out　of　his　plan　—　is　the　History　of　the　World。　This　plan　philosophy

strives　to　prehend；　for　only　that　which　has　been　developed　as　the　result　of　it；　possesses　bona

fide　reality。　That　which　does　not　accord　with　it；　is　negative；　worthless　existence。　Before　the　pure

light　of　this　divine　Idea　—　which　is　no　mere　Idea　…　the　phantom　of　a　world　whose　events　are　an