第19部分(第2/7 頁)

—　its　world　—　the　Spirit　of　the　people　enjoys　its

existence　and　finds　its　satisfaction。　—　A　Nation　is　moral　—　virtuous　—　vigorous　—　while　it　is

engaged　in　realising　its　grand　objects；　and　defends　its　work　against　external　violence　during　the

process　of　giving　to　its　purposes　an　objective　existence。　The　contradiction　between　its　potential；

subjective　being　—　its　inner　aim　and　life　—　and　its　actual　being　is　removed；　it　has　attained　full

reality；　has　itself　objectively　present　to　it。　But　this　having　been　attained；　the　activity　played　by　the

Spirit　of　the　people　in　question　is　no　longer　needed；　it　has　its　desire。　The　Nation　can　still

acplish　much　in　war　and　peace　at　home　and　abroad；　but　the　living　substantial　soul　itself　may

be　said　to　have　ceased　its　activity。　The　essential；　supreme　interest　has　consequently　vanished　from

its　life；　for　interest　is　present　only　where　there　is　opposition。　The　nation　lives　the　same　kind　of　life

as　the　individual　when　passing　from　maturity　to　old　age；　—　in　the　enjoyment　of　itself；　—　in　the

satisfaction　of　being　exactly　what　it　desired　and　was　able　to　attain。　Although　its　imagination　might

have　transcended　that　limit；　it　nevertheless　abandoned　any　such　aspirations　as　objects　of　actual

endeavour；　if　the　real　world　was　less　than　favourable　to　their　attainment　—　and　restricted　its　aim

by　the　conditions　thus　imposed。　This　mere　customary　life　（the　watch　wound　up　and　going　on　of

itself）　is　that　which　brings　on　natural　death。　Custom　is　activity　without　opposition；　for　which　there

remains　only　a　formal　duration；　in　which　the　fullness　and　zest　that　originally　characterised　the　aim　of

life　is　out　of　the　questions　merely　external　sensuous