第19部分(第3/7 頁)

　existence　which　has　ceased　to　throw　itself

enthusiastically　into　its　object。　Thus　perish　individuals；　thus　perish　peoples　by　a　natural　death；　and

though　the　latter　may　continue　in　being；　it　is　an　existence　without　intellect　or　vitality；　having　no　need

of　its　institutions；　because　the　need　for　them　is　satisfied；　—　a　political　nullity　and　tedium。　In　order

that　a　truly　universal　interest　may　arise；　the　Spirit　of　a　People　must　advance　to　the　adoption　of

some　new　purpose：　but　whence　can　this　new　purpose　originate？　It　would　be　a　higher；　more

prehensive　conception　of　itself　—　a　transcending　of　its　principle　—　but　this　very　act　would

involve　a　principle　of　a　new　order；　a　new　National　Spirit。

§　86

Such　a　new　principle　does　in　fact　enter　into　the　Spirit　of　a　people　that　has　arrived　at　full

development　and　self…realisation；　it　dies　not　a　simply　natural　death　—　for　it　is　not　a　mere　single

individual；　but　a　spiritual；　generic　life；　in　its　case　natural　death　appears　to　imply　destruction　through

its　own　agency。　The　reason　of　this　difference　from　the　single　natural　individual　is　that　the　Spirit　of　a

people　exists　as　a　genus；　and　consequently　carries　within　it　its　own　negation；　in　the　very　generality

which　characterises　it。　A　people　can　only　die　a　violent　death　when　it　has　bee　naturally　dead　in

itself；　as　e。g。；　the　German　Imperial　Cities；　the　German　Imperial　Constitution。

§　87

It　is　not　of　the　nature　of　the　all…pervading　Spirit　to　die　this　merely　natural　death；　it　does　not　simply

sink　into　the　senile　life　of　mere　custom　but　—　as　being　a　National　Spirit　belonging　to　Universal

History　—　attains　to　the　consciousness　of　what　its　work　is；　it　attains　to　a　conce