第15部分(第2/7 页)

eedom　and　justice　are　supposed　to

exist；　or　to　have　existed。　This　was；　however；　nothing　more　than　an　assumption　of　historical

existence；　conceived　in　the　twilight　of　theorising　reflection。　A　pretension　of　quite　another　order；　—

not　a　mere　inference　of　reasoning；　but　making　the　claim　of　historical　fact；　and　that　supernaturally

confirmed；　—　is　put　forth　in　connection　with　a　different　view　that　is　now　widely　promulgated　by　a

certain　class　of　speculatists。　This　view　takes　up　the　idea　of　the　primitive　paradisaical　condition　of

man；　which　had　been　previously　expanded　by　the　Theologians；　after　their　fashion；　—　involving；

e。g。；　the　supposition　that　God　spoke　with　Adam　in　Hebrew；　—　but　remodelled　to　suit　other

requirements。　The　high　authority　appealed　to　in　the　first　instance　is　the　biblical　narrative。　But　this

depicts　the　primitive　condition；　partly　only　in　the　few　well…known　traits；　but　partly　either　as　in　man

generically；　—　human　nature　at　large；　—　or；　so　far　as　Adam　is　to　be　taken　as　an　individual；　and

consequently　one　person；　—　as　existing　and　pleted　in　this　one；　or　only　in　one　human　pair。

The　biblical　account　by　no　means　justifies　us　in　imagining　a　people；　and　an　historical　condition　of

such　people；　existing　in　that　primitive　form；　still　less　does　it　warrant　us　in　attributing　to　them　the

possession　of　a　perfectly　developed　knowledge　of　God　and　Nature。　“Nature；”　so　the　fiction　runs；

“like　a　clear　mirror　of　God's　creation；　had　originally　lain　revealed　and　transparent　to　the

unclouded　eye　of　man。”　＇Fr。　von　Schlegel；　Philosophy　of　History　p。　91；　Bohn's　Standard

Library。＇

Divine　Truth　is　imagined　to　have　been　equally　manifest。　It　is　even　hinted；　though　l