第6部分(第3/7 頁)

ts　nature；　it　is　our　business　to　investigate。

§　22

The　general　statement　given　above；　of　the　various　grades　in　the　consciousness　of　Freedom　—　and

which　we　applied　in　the　first　instance　to　the　fact　that　the　Eastern　nations　knew　only　that　one　is　free；

the　Greek　and　Roman　world　only　that　some　are　free；　whilst　we　know　that　all　men　absolutely　（man

as　man）　are　free；　—　supplies　us　with　the　natural　division　of　Universal　History；　and　suggests　the

mode　of　its　discussion。　This　is　remarked；　however；　only　incidentally　and　anticipatively；　some　other

ideas　must　be　first　explained。

§　23

The　destiny　of　the　spiritual　World；　and；　—　since　this　is　the　substantial　World；　while　the　physical

remains　subordinate　to　it；　or；　in　the　language　of　speculation；　has　no　truth　as　against　the　spiritual；

—　the　final　cause　of　the　World　at　large；　we　allege　to　be　the　consciousness　of　its　own　freedom　on

the　part　of　Spirit；　and　ipso　facto；　the　reality　of　that　freedom。　But　that　this　term　“Freedom；”

without　further　qualification；　is　an　indefinite；　and　incalculable　ambiguous　term；　and　that　while　that

which　it　represents　is　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　attainment；　it　is　liable　to　an　infinity　of　misunderstandings；

confusions　and　errors；　and　to　bee　the　occasion　for　all　imaginable　excesses；　—　has　never　been

more　clearly　known　and　felt　than　in　modern　times。　Yet；　for　the　present；　we　must　content　ourselves

with　the　term　itself　without　farther　definition。　Attention　was　also　directed　to　the　importance　of　the

infinite　difference　between　a　principle　in　the　abstract；　and　its　realisation　in　the　concrete。　In　the

process　before　us；　the　essential　nature　of　freedom　…　which　involves　in　it　absolute　necessity；