哲學史-philosophy of history(英文版)

第2部分 (第3/7頁)

　it　into　an　image　for　the　conceptive　faculty。　These　original

historians　did；　it　is　true；　find　statements　and　narratives　of　other　men　ready　to　hand。　One　person

cannot　be　an　eye　and　ear　witness　of　everything。　But　they　make　use　of　such　aids　only　as　the　poet

does　of　that　heritage　of　an　already…formed　language；　to　which　he　owes　so　much；　merely　as　an

ingredient。　Historiographers　bind　together　the　fleeting　elements　of　story；　and　treasure　them　up　for

immortality　in　the　Temple　of　Mnemosyne。　Legends；　Ballad…stories；　Traditions　must　be　excluded

from　such　original　history。　These　are　but　dim　and　hazy　forms　of　historical　apprehension；　and

therefore　belong　to　nations　whose　intelligence　is　but　half　awakened。　Here；　on　the　contrary；　we

have　to　do　with　people　fully　conscious　of　what　they　were　and　what　they　were　about。　The　domain

of　reality　—　actually　seen；　or　capable　of　being　so　—　affords　a　very　different　basis　in　point　of

firmness　from　that　fugitive　and　shadowy　element；　in　which　were　engendered　those　legends　and

poetic　dreams　whose　historical　prestige　vanishes；　as　soon　as　nations　have　attained　a　mature

individuality。

§　2

Such　original　historians；　then；　change　the　events；　the　deeds　and　the　states　of　society　with　which

they　are　conversant；　into　an　object　for　the　conceptive　faculty。　The　narratives　they　leave　us　cannot；

therefore；　be　very　prehensive　in　their　range。　Herodotus；　Thucydides；　Guieciardini；　may　be

taken　as　fair　samples　of　the　class　in　this　respect。　What　is　present　and　living　in　their　environment；　is

their　proper　material。　The　influences　that　have　formed　the　writer　are　identical　with　those　which

have　moulded　the　events　that　constitute　the　matter　of　hi