insisted upon； and the very dogmatic opinions asserted； must be examined。 At no time so much as
in our own； have such general principles and notions been advanced； or with greater assurance。 If
in days gone by； history seems to present itself as a struggle of passions； in our time — though
displays of passion are not wanting — it exhibits partly a predominance of the struggle of notions
assuming the authority of principles； partly that of passions and interests essentially subjective； but
under the mask of such higher sanctions。 The pretensions thus contended for as legitimate in the
name of that which has been stated as the ultimate aim of Reason； pass accordingly； for absolute
aims； — to the same extent as Religion； Morals； Ethics。 Nothing； as before remarked； is now more
mon than the plaint that the ideals which imagination sets up are not realised — that these
glorious dreams are destroyed by cold actuality。 These Ideals — which in the voyage of life
founder on the rocks of hard reality — may be in the first instance only subjective； and belong to
the idiosyncrasy of the individual； imagining himself the highest and wisest。 Such do not properly
belong to this category。 For the fancies which the individual in his isolation indulges； cannot be the
model for universal reality； just as universal law is not designed for the units of the mass。 These as
such may； in fact； find their interests decidedly thrust into the background。 But by the term
“Ideal；” we also understand the ideal of Reason； of the Good； of the True。 Poets； as e。g。
Schiller； have painted such ideals touchingly and with strong emotion； and with the deeply
melancholy conviction that th