哲學史-philosophy of history(英文版)

第17部分 (第2/7頁)

ly　different　object；　that　such　a　being　must　have　a　brain　in　its　bead；　and　a　heart　in　its

breast。

§　73

A　similar　process　of　reasoning　is　adopted；　in　reference　to　the　correct　assertion　that　genius；　talent；

moral　virtues；　and　sentiments；　and　piety；　may　be　found　in　every　zone；　under　all　political

constitutions　and　conditions；　in　confirmation　of　which　examples　are　forthing　in　abundance。　If　in

this　assertion；　the　acpanying　distinctions　are　intended　to　be　repudiated　as　unimportant　or

non…essential；　reflection　evidently　limits　itself　to　abstract　categories；　and　ignores　the　specialities　of

the　object　in　question；　which　certainly　fall　under　no　principle　recognised　by　such　categories。　That

intellectual　position　which　adopts　such　merely　formal　points　of　view；　presents　a　vast　field　for

ingenious　questions；　erudite　views；　and　striking　parisons；　for　profound　seeming　reflections　and

declamations；　which　may　be　rendered　so　much　the　more　brilliant　in　proportion　as　the　subject　they

refer　to　is　indefinite；　and　are　susceptible　of　new　and　varied　forms　in　inverse　proportion　to　the

importance　of　the　results　that　can　be　gained　from　them；　and　the　certainly　and　rationality　of　their

issues。　Under　such　an　aspect　the　well　known　Indian　Epopees　may　be　pared　with　the　Homeric；

perhaps　—　since　it　is　the　vastness　of　the　imagination　by　which　poetical　genius　proves　itself　—

preferred　to　them；　as；　on　account　of　the　similarity　of　single　strokes　of　imagination　in　the　attributes

of　the　divinities；　it　has　been　contended　that　Greek　mythological　forms　may　be　recognised　in　those

of　India。　Similarly　the　Chinese　philosophy；　as　adopting　the　One　as　its　basis；　has　been　alleged　to　be

the　sam