In saying this, I
am far from accusing those illustrious men of insincerity. Some few of
them, indeed, used a sort of cryptic satire to excuse to themselves an
unwilling conformity. But, for the most part, the moral pressure of
tradition and education compelled enlightened men to identify the
doctrines of a personal God, Creation, Fall, Redemption and Immortality
with moral interests vitally essential to human welfare. Under such
circumstances a prudent conservatism was inevitable.
[Sidenote: Gradual Spread of Spinoza's Influence.]
[Sidenote: Fichte.]
[Sidenote: Hegel.]
Yet, notwithstanding these restraining influences, the thoughts breathed
forth by the lonely thinker were as living seed wafted abroad, and
falling here and there on good ground, germinated and brought forth
fruit. Sometimes his influence was acknowledged, sometimes it was
repudiated; but it was there, nevertheless. It is doubtful whether
Fichte's idealism could have taken the form it did had not Spinoza
preceded him. Hegel, setting out on his great intellectual career with a
resolve to defend the faith once delivered to the saints, yet traces its
roots to a philosophy of Being which, at any rate, looks very like
Pantheism. This is perhaps delicate ground to tread. For if one is asked
whether one understands Hegel, one is tempted to answer, like the pious
Scotch lady when her friends enquired whether she had understood the
minister's sermon, "Hech, sirs, d'ye think I'd presume?" Still, not my
own reading of him only, but Mr.
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