第4部分(第3/7 頁)

r　to　say；　is；　even　in　reference　to　our　branch　of　science；　not　to　be　regarded　as

hypothetical；　but　as　a　summary　view　of　the　whole；　the　result　of　the　investigation　we　are　about　to

pursue；　a　result　which　happens　to　be　known　to　me；　because　I　have　traversed　the　entire　field。　It　is

only　an　inference　from　the　history　of　the　World；　that　its　development　has　been　a　rational　process；

that　the　history　in　question　has　constituted　the　rational　necessary　course　of　the　World　Spirit　—　that

Spirit　whose　nature　is　always　one　and　the　same；　but　which　unfolds　this　its　one　nature　in　the

phenomena　of　the　World's　existence。　This　must；　as　before　stated；　present　itself　as　the　ultimate

result　of　History。　But　we　have　to　take　the　latter　as　it　is。　We　must　proceed　historically　—

empirically。　Among　other　precautions　we　must　take　care　not　to　be　misled　by　professed　historians

who　（especially　among　the　Germans；　and　enjoying　a　considerable　authority）；　are　chargeable　with

the　very　procedure　of　which　they　accuse　the　Philosopher　—　introducing　à　priori　inventions　of

their　own　into　the　records　of　the　Past。　It　is；　for　example；　a　widely　current　fiction；　that　there　was　an

original　primeval　people；　taught　immediately　by　God；　endowed　with　perfect　insight　and　wisdom；

possessing　a　thorough　knowledge　of　all　natural　laws　and　spiritual　truth；　that　there　have　been　such

or　such　sacerdotal　peoples；　or；　to　mention　a　more　specific　averment；　that　there　was　a　Roman

Epos；　from　which　the　Roman　historians　derived　the　early　annals　of　their　city；　&c。　Authorities　of

this　kind　we　leave　to　those　talented　historians　by　profession；　among　whom　（in　Germany　at　least）

their　use　is　not　unmon。　—　We　might　then　announce　it　as　th