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process　before　us；　the　essential　nature　of　freedom　…　which　involves　in　it　absolute　necessity；　—　is　to
be　displayed　as　ing　to　a　consciousness　of　itself　（for　it　is　in　its　very　nature；　self…consciousness）
and　thereby　realising　its　existence。　Itself　is　its　own　object　of　attainment；　and　the　sole　aim　of　Spirit。
This　result　it　is；　at　which　the　process　of　the　World's　History　has　been　continually　aiming；　and　to
which　the　sacrifices　that　have　ever　and　anon　been　laid　on　the　vast　altar　of　the　earth；　through　the
long　lapse　of　ages；　have　been　offered。　This　is　the　only　aim　that　sees　itself　realised　and　fulfilled；　the
only　pole　of　repose　amid　the　ceaseless　change　of　events　and　conditions；　and　the　sole　efficient
principle　that　pervades　them。　This　final　aim　is　God's　purpose　with　the　world；　but　God　is　the
absolutely　perfect　Being；　and　can；　therefore；　will　nothing　other　than　himself　—　his　own　Will。　The
Nature　of　His　Will　—　that　is；　His　Nature　itself　—　is　what　we　here　call　the　Idea　of　Freedom；
translating　the　language　of　Religion　into　that　of　Thought。　The　question；　then；　which　we　may　next
put；　is：　What　means　does　this　principle　of　Freedom　use　for　its　realisation？　This　is　the　second　point
we　have　to　consider。　

　　　　　　　　　　　（2）　The　Means　Spirit　Uses　to　Realise　Its　Idea

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　24

The　question　of　the　means　by　which　Freedom　develops　itself　to　a　World；　conducts　us　to　the
phenomenon　of　History　itself。　Although　Freedom　is；　primarily；　an　undeveloped　idea；　the　means　it
uses　are　external　and　phenomenal；　presenting　themselves　in　History　to　our　sensuous　vision。　The
first　glance　at　History　convinces　us　that　the　actions　of　men　proceed　from　their　needs；　their
passions；　their　characters　and　talents；　and　impresses　us　with　the　belief　that　such　needs；　passions
and　interests　are　the　sole　springs　of　action　—　the　efficient　agents　in　this　scene　of　activity。　Among
these　may；　perhaps；　be　found　aims　of　a　liberal　or　universal　kind　—　benevolence　it　may　be；　or　noble
patriotism；　but　such　virtues　and　general　views　are　but　insignificant　as　pared　with　the　World
and　its　doings。　We　may　perhaps　see　the　Ideal　of　Reason　actualised　in　those　who　adopt　such　aims；
and　within　the　sphere　of　their　influence；　but　they　bear　only　a　trifling　proportion　to　the　mass　of　the
human　race；　and　the　extent　of　that　influence　is　limited　accordingly。　Passions；　private　aims；　and　the
satisfaction　of　selfish　desires；　are　on　the　other　hand；　most　effective　springs　of　action。　Their　power
lies　in　the　fact　that　they　respect　none　of　the　limitations　which　justice　and　morality　would　impose　on
them；　and　that　these　natural　impulses　have　a　more　direct　influence　over　man　than　the　artificial　and
tedious　discipline　that　tends　to　order　and　self…restraint；　law　and　morality。　When　we　look　at　this
display　of　passions；　and　the　consequences　of　their　violence；　the　Unreason　which　is　associated　not
；only　with　them；　but　even　（rather　we　might　say　especially）　with　good　designs　and　righteous　aims；
when　we　see　the　evil；　the　vice；　the　ruin　that　has　befallen　the　most　flourishing　kingdoms　which　the
mind　of　man　ever　created；　we　can　scarce　avoid　being　filled　with　sorrow　at　this　universal　taint　of
corruption：　and；　since　this　decay　is　not　the　work　of　mere　Nature；　but　of　the　Human　Will　—　a　moral
embitterment　—　a　revolt　of　the　Good　Spirit　（if　it　have　a　place　within　us）　may　well　be　the　result　of
our　reflections。　Without　rhetorical　exaggeration；　a　simply　truthful　bination　of　the　miseries　that
have　overwhelmed　the　noblest　of　nations　and　polities；　and　the　finest　exemplars　of　private　virtue；　—
forms　a　picture　of　most　fearful　aspect；　and　excites　emotions　of　the　profoundest　and　most　hopeless
sadness；　counter…balanced　by　no　consolatory　result。　We　endure　in　beholding　it　a　mental　torture；
allowing　no　defence　or　escape　but　the　consideration　that　what　has　happened　could　not　be
otherwise；　that　it　is　a　fatality　which　no　intervention　could　alter。　And　at　last　we　draw　back　from　the
intolerable　disgust　with　which　these　sorrowful　reflections　threaten　us；　into　the　more　agreeable
environment　of　our　individual　life　—　the　Present　formed　by　our　private　aims　and　interests。　In　short
we　retreat　into　the　selfishness　that　stands　on　the　quiet　shore；　and　thence　enjoy　in　safety　the　distant
spectacle　of　“wrecks　confusedly　hurled。”　But　even　regarding　History　as　the　slaughter…bench　at
which　the　happiness　of　peoples；　the　wisdom　of　States；　and　the　virtue　of　individuals　have　been
victimised　—　the　question　involuntarily　arises　—　to　what　principle；　to　what　final　aim　these　enormous
sacrifices　have　been　offered。　From　this　point　the　investigation　usually　proceeds　to　that　which　we
have　made　the　general　mencement　of　our　enquiry。　Starting　from　this　we　pointed　out　those
phenomena　which　made　up　a　picture　so　suggestive　of　gloomy　emotions　and　thoughtful　reflections
—　as　the　very　field　which　we；　for　our　part；　regard　as　exhibiting　only　the　means　for　realising　what
we　assert　to　be　the　essential　destiny　—　the　absolute　aim；　or　—　which　es　to　the　same　thing　—
the　true　result　of　the　World's　History。　We　have　all　along　purposely　eschewed　“moral　reflections”
as　a　method　of　rising　from　the　scene　of　historical　specialties　to　the　general　principles　which　they
embody。　Besides；　it　is　not　the　interest　of　such　sentimentalities；　really　to　rise　above　those　depressing
emotions；　and　to　solve　the　enigmas　of　Providence　which　the　considerations　that　occasioned　them；
present。　It　is　essential　to　their　character　to　find　a　gloomy　satisfaction　in　the　empty　and　fruitless
sublimities　of　that　negative　result。　We　return　then　to　the　point　of　view　which　we　have　adopted；
observing　that　the　successive　steps　（Momente）　of　the　analysis　to　which　it　will　lead　us；　will　also
evolve　the　conditions　requisite　for　answering　the　enquiries　suggested　by　the　panorama　of　sin　and
suffering　that　history　unfolds。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　25

The　first　remark　we　have　to　make；　and　which　…　though　already　presented　more　than　once　—
cannot　be　too　often　repeated　when　the　occasion　seems　to　call　for　it；　—　is　that　what　we　call　the
principle；　aim；　destiny；　or　the　nature　and　idea　of　Spirit；　is　something　merely　general　and　abstract。
Principle　—　Plan　of　Existence　—　Law　—　is　a　hidden；　undeveloped　essence；　which　as　such　—
however　true　in　itself　—　is　not　pletely　real。　Aims；　principles；　&c。；　have　a　place　in　our　thoughts；
in　our　subjective　design　only；　but　not　yet　in　the　sphere　of　reality。　That　which　exists　for　itself　only；　is
a　possibility；　a　potentiality；　but　has　not　yet　emerged　into　Existence。　A　second　element　must　be
introduced　in　order　to　produce　actuality　—　viz。　actuation；　realisation；　and　whose　motive　power　is
the　Will　—　the　activity　of　man　in　the　widest　sense。　It　is　only　by　this　activity　that　that　Idea　as　well　as
abstract　characteristics　generally；　are　realised；　actualised；　for　of　themselves　they　are　powerless。
The　motive　power　that　puts　them　in　operation；　and　gives　them　determinate　existence；　is　the　need；
instinct；　inclination；　and　passion　of　man。　That　some　conception　of　mine　should　be　developed　into
act　and　existence；　is　my　earnest　desire：　I　wish　to　assert　my　personality　in　connection　with　it：　I　wish
to　be　satisfied　by　its　execution。　If　I　am　to　exert　myself　for　any　object；　it　must　in　some　way　or　other
be　my　object。　In　the　acplishment　of　such　or　such　designs　I　must　at　the　same　time　find　my
satisfaction；　although　the　purpose　for　which　I　exert　myself　includes　a　plication　of　results；　many
of　which　have　no　interest　for　me。　This　is　the　absolute　right　of　personal　existence　—　to　find　itself
satisfied　in　its　activity　and　labour。　If　men　are　to　interest　themselves　for　anything；　they　must　（so　to
speak）　have　part　of　their　existence　involved　in　it；　find　their　individuality　gratified　by　its　attainment。
Here　a　mistake　must　be　avoided。　We　intend　blame；　and　justly　impute　it　as　a　fault；　when　we　say　of
an　individual；　that　he　is　“interested”　（in　taking　part　in　such　or　such　transactions）　that　is；　seeks
only　his　private　advantage。　In　reprehending　this　we　find　fault　with　him　for　furthering　his　personal
aims　without　any　regard　to　a　more　prehensive　design；　of　which　he　takes　advantage　to　promote
his　own　interest；　or　which　he　even　sacrifices　with　this　view。　But　he　who　is　active　in　promoting　an
object；　is　not　simply　“interested；”　but　interested　in　that　object　itself。　Language　faithfully
expresses　this　distinction。　—　Nothing　therefore　happens；　nothing　is　acplished；　unless　the
individuals　concerned；　seek　their　own　satisfaction　in　the　issue。　They　are　particular　units　of　society；
i。e。　they　have　special　needs；　instincts；　and　interests　generally；　peculiar　to　themselves。　Among　these
needs　are　not　only　such　as　we　usually　call　necessities　—　the　stimuli　of　individual　desire　and　volition
—　but　also　those　connected　with　individual　views　and　convictions；　or　—　to　use　a　term　expressing
less　decision　—　leanings　of　opinion；　supposing　the　impulses　of　reflection；　understanding；　and
reason；　to　have　been　awakened。　In　these　cases　people　demand；　if　they　are　to　exert　themselves　in
any　direction；　that　the　object　should　mend　itself　to　them；　that　in　point　of　opinion；　—　whether　as
to　its　goodness；　justice；　advantage；　profit；　—　they　should　be　able　to　“enter　into　it”　（dabei　seyn）。
This　is　a　consideration　of　especial　importance　in　our　age；　when　people　are　less　than　formerly
influenced　by　reliance　on　others；　and　by　authority；　when；　on　the　contrary；　they　devote　their
activities　to　a　cause　on　the　ground　of　their　own　understanding；　their　independent　conviction　and
opinion。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　26

We　assert　then　that　nothing　has　been　acplished　without　interest　on　the　part　of　the　actors；　and
—　if　interest　be　called　passion；　inasmuch　as　the　whole　individuality；　to　the　neglect　of　all　other　actual
or　possible　interests　and　claims；　is　devoted　to　an　object　with　every　fibre　of　volition；　concentrating
all　its　desires　and　powers　upon　it　—　we　may　affirm　absolutely　that　nothing　great　in　the　World　has
been　acplished　without　passion。　Two　elements；　therefore；　enter　into　the　object　of　our
investigation；　the　first　the　Idea；　the　second　the　plex　of　human　passions；　the　one　the　warp；　the
other　the　woof　of　the　vast　arras…web　of　Universal　History。　The　concrete　mean　and　union　of　the
two　is　Liberty；　under　the　conditions　of　morality　in　a　State。　We　have　spoken　of　the　Idea　of
Freedom　as　the　nature　of　Spirit；　and　the　absolute　goal　of　History。　Passion　is　regarded　as　a　thing　of
sinister　aspect；　as　more　or　less　immoral。　Man　is　required　to　have　no　passions。　Passion；　it　is　true；　is
not　quite　the　suitable　word　for　what　I　wish　to　express。　I　mean　here　nothing　more　than　human
activity　as　resulting　from　private　interests　—　special；　or　if　you　will；　self…seeking　designs　—　with　this
qualification；　that　the　whole　energy　of　will　and　character　is　devoted　to　their　attainment；　that　other
interests　（which　would　in　themselves　constitute　attractive　aims）；　or　rather　all　things　else；　are
sacrificed　to　them。　The　object　in　question　is　so　bound　up　with　the　man's　will；　that　it　entirely　and
alone　determines　the　“hue　of　resolution”　and　is　inseparable　from　it。　It　has　bee　the　very
essence　of　his　volition。　For　a　person　is　a　specific　existence；　not　man　in　general　（a　term　to　which　no
real　existence　corresponds）；　but　a　particular　human　being。　The　term　“character”　likewise
expresses　this　idiosyncrasy　of　Will　and　Intelligence。　But　Character　prehends　all　peculiarities
whatever；　the　way　in　which　a　person　conducts　himself　in　private　relations；　&c。；　and　is　not　limited
to　his　idiosyncrasy　in　its　practical　and　active　phase。　I　shall；　therefore；　use　the　term　“passion；”
understanding　thereby　the　particular　bent　of　character；　as　far　as　the　peculiarities　of　volition　are　not
limited　to　private　interest；　but　supply　the　impelling　and　actuating　force　for　acplishing　deeds
shared　in　by　the　munity　at　large。　Passion　is　in　the　first　instance　the　subjective；　and　therefore
the　formal　side　of　energy；　will；　and　activity　—　leaving　the　object　or　aim　still　undetermined。　And
there　is　a　similar　relation　of　formality　to　reality　in　merely　individual　conviction；　individual　views；
individual　conscience。　It　is　always　a　question；　of　essential　importance；　what　is　the　purport　of　my
conviction；　wh