第20部分(第2/3 頁)

into　the　bosom　of　the　people　that　produced　and

matured　it；　on　the　contrary；　it　bees　a　poison…draught　to　it。　That　poison…draught　it　cannot　let

alone；　for　it　has　an　insatiable　thirst　for　it：　the　taste　of　the　draught　is　its　annihilation。；　though　at　the

same　time　the　rise　of　a　new　principle。

§　98

We　have　already　discussed　the　final　aim　of　progression。　The　principles　of　the　successive　phases　of

Spirit　that　animate　the　Nations　in　a　necessitated　gradation；　are　themselves　only　steps　in　the

development　of　the　one　universal　Spirit；　which　through　them　elevates　and　pletes　itself　to　a

self…prehending　totality。

§　99

While　we　are　thus　concerned　exclusively　with　the　Idea　of　Spirit；　and　in　the　History　of　the　World

regard　everything　as　only　its　manifestation；　we　have；　in　traversing　the　past；　—　however　extensive　its

periods；　—　only　to　do　with　what　is　present；　for　philosophy；　as　occupying　itself　with　the　True；　has

to　do　with　the　eternally　present。　Nothing　in　the　past　is　lost　for　it；　for　the　Idea　is　ever　present；

Spirit　is　immortal；　with　it　there　is　no　past；　no　future；　but　an　essential　now。　This　necessarily　implies

that　the　present　form　of　Spirit　prehends　within　it　all　earlier　steps。　These　have　indeed　unfolded

themselves　in　succession　independently；　but　what　Spirit　is　it　has　always　been　essentially；

distinctions　are　only　the　development　of　this　essential　nature。　The　life　of　the　ever　present　Spirit　is　a

circle　of　progressive　embodiments；　which　looked　at　in　one　respect　still　exist　beside　each　other；

and　only　as　looked　at　from　another　point　of　view　appear　as　past。　The　grades　which　Spirit　seems

to　have　left　behind　it；　it　still　possesses　in　the　depths　of　its