第15部分(第3/8 頁)

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　left　in　some

degree　of　obscurity；　that　in　this　primary　condition　men　were　in　possession　of　an　indefinitely

extended　and　already　expanded　body　of　religious　truths　immediately　revealed　by　God。　This　theory

affirms　that　all　religions　had　their　historical　mencement　in　this　primitive　knowledge；　and　that

they　polluted　and　obscured　the　original　Truth　by　the　monstrous　creations　of　error　and　depravity；

though　in　all　the　mythologies　invented　by　Error；　traces　of　that　origin　and　of　those　primitive　true

dogmas　are　supposed　to　be　present　and　cognisable。　An　important　interest；　therefore　accrues　to

the　investigation　of　the　history　of　ancient　peoples；　that；　viz。；　of　the　endeavour　to　trace　their　annals

up　to　the　point　where　such　fragments　of　the　primary　revelation　are　to　be　met　with　in　greater　purity

than　lower　down。

§　66

We　have　t