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es　and　institutions；　to　accidents　or　imprudence；　—　but　principally　to　the　levity

and　evil　passions　of　man。　The　principle　of　Perfectibility　indeed　is　almost　as　indefinite　a　term　as

mutability　in　general；　it　is　without　scope　or　goal；　and　has　no　standard　by　which　to　estimate　the

changes　in　question：　the　improved；　more　perfect；　state　of　things　towards　which　it　professedly　tends

is　altogether　undetermined。

§　61

The　principle　of　Development　involves　also　the　existence　of　a　latent　germ　of　being　—　a　capacity

or　potentiality　striving　to　realise　itself。　This　formal　conception　finds　actual　existence　in　Spirit；　which

has　the　History　of　the　World　for　its　theatre；　its　possession；　and　the　sphere　of　its　realisation。　It　is　not

of　such　a　nature　as　to　be　tossed　to　and　fro　amid　the　superficial　play　of　accidents；　but　is　rather　the

absolute　arbiter　of　things；　entirely　unmoved　by　contingencies；　which；　indeed；　it　applies　and

manages　for　its　own　purposes。　Development；　however；　is　also　a　property　of　organised　natural

objects。　Their　existence　presents　itself；　not　as　an　exclusively　dependent　one；　subjected　to　external

changes；　but　as　one　which　expands　itself　in　virtue　of　an　external　unchangeable　principle；　a　simple

essence；　—　whose　existence；　i。e。；　as　a　germ；　is　primarily　simple；　—　but　which　subsequently

develops　a　variety　of　parts；　that　bee　involved　with　other　objects；　and　consequently　live

through　a　continuous　process　of　changes；　—　a　process　nevertheless；　that　results　in　the　very

contrary　of　change；　and　is　even　transformed　into　a　vis　conservatrix　of　the　organic　principle；　and

the　form　embodying　it。　Thus　the　organised　individuum　produces　itself；　it　expands　itself　actually