小说园

第18部分（第1页）

bee　Thinking　Reason；　with　the　view　of　effecting　in　its　own　element；　the　restoration　of　its

principles　from　the　ruin　to　which　they　had　been　brought。

§　78

We　find　then；　it　is　true；　among　all　world…historical　peoples；　poetry；　plastic　art；　science；　even

philosophy；　but　not　only　is　there　a　diversity　in　style　and　bearing　generally；　but　still　more　remarkably

in　subject…matter；　and　this　is　a　diversity　of　the　most　important　kind；　affecting　the　rationality　of　that

subject…matter。　It　is　useless　for　a　pretentious　aesthetic　criticism　to　demand　that　our　good　pleasure

should　not　be　made　the　rule　for　the　matter　—　the　substantial　part　of　their　contents　—　and　to

maintain　that　it　is　the　beautiful　form　as　such；　the　grandeur　of　the　fancy；　and　so　forth；　which　fine　art

aims　at；　and　which　must　be　considered　and　enjoyed　by　a　liberal　taste　and　cultivated　mind。　A

healthy　intellect　does　not　tolerate　such　abstractions；　and　cannot　assimilate　productions　of　the　kind

above　referred　to。　Granted　that　the　Indian　Epopees　might　be　placed　on　a　level　with　the　Homeric；

on　account　of　a　number　of　those　qualities　of　form　—　grandeur　of　invention　and　imaginative　power；

liveliness　of　images　and　emotions；　and　beauty　of　diction；　yet　the　infinite　difference　of　matter

remains；　consequently　one　of　substantial　importance　and　involving　the　interest　of　Reason　which　is

immediately　concerned　with　the　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom；　and　its　expression　in

individuals。　There　is　not　only　a　classical　form；　but　a　classical　order　of　subject…matter；　and　in　a

work　of　art　form　and　subject…matter　are　so　closely　united　that　the　former　can　only　be　classical　to

the　extent　to　which　the　latter　is　so。　With　a　fantastic；　indeterminate　material　—　the　Rule　is　the

essence　of　Reason　…the　form　bees　measureless　and　formless；　or　mean　and　contracted。　In　the

same　way；　in　that　parison　of　the　various　systems　of　philosophy　of　which　we　have　already

spoken；　the　only　point　of　importance　is　overlooked；　namely　the　character　of　that　Unity　which　is

found　alike　in　the　Chinese；　the　Eleatic；　and　the　Spinozistic　philosophy　—　the　distinction　between

the　recognition　of　that　Unity　as　abstract　and　as　concrete　—　concrete　to　the　extent　of　being　a　unity

in　and　by　itself　—　a　unity　synonymous　with　Spirit。　But　that　co…ordination　proves　that　it　recognises

only　such　an　abstract　unity；　so　that　while　it　gives　judgment　respecting　philosophy　it　is　ignorant　of

that　very　point　which　constitutes　the　interest　of　philosophy。

§　79

But　there　are　also　spheres　which；　amid　all　the　variety　that　is　presented　in　the　substantial　content　of

a　particular　form　of　culture；　remain　the　same。　The　difference　above　mentioned　in　art；　science；

philosophy；　concerns　the　thinking　Reason　and　Freedom；　which　is　the　self…consciousness　of　the