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Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

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Richard Wagner <strong>in</strong> Bayreuthas it is commonly understood, now seems to have been assigned <strong>the</strong>task <strong>of</strong> lett<strong>in</strong>g modern man catch his breath as he runs pant<strong>in</strong>g andsweat<strong>in</strong>g towards his goal, so that for a moment he can feel as it wereunharnessed. What <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividual Montaigne signifies with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>agitation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Reformation, a com<strong>in</strong>g to rest with<strong>in</strong>oneself, a peaceful be<strong>in</strong>g for oneself and relaxation - and that wascerta<strong>in</strong>ly how his best reader, Shakespeare, experienced him - iswhat history is for <strong>the</strong> modern spirit. If <strong>the</strong> Gennans have for a centurybeen especially devoted to <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> history, this shows thatwith<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> agitation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> contemporary world <strong>the</strong>y represent <strong>the</strong>retard<strong>in</strong>g, delay<strong>in</strong>g, pacify<strong>in</strong>g power: which some might perhapsturn <strong>in</strong>to a commendation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m. On <strong>the</strong> whole, however, it is adangerous sign when <strong>the</strong> spiritual struggles <strong>of</strong> a people are concernedpr<strong>in</strong>cipally with <strong>the</strong> past, a mark <strong>of</strong> debility, <strong>of</strong> regression andfeebleness: so that it is exposd <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> most dangerous fashion toevery rampant fever go<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> political fever for <strong>in</strong>stance. In <strong>the</strong> history<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> modern spirit our scholars represent such a condition <strong>of</strong>weakness, <strong>in</strong> anti<strong>the</strong>sis to all revolutionary and refonn movements;<strong>the</strong> task <strong>the</strong>y have set <strong>the</strong>mselves is not <strong>the</strong> proudest, but <strong>the</strong>y havesecured for <strong>the</strong>mselves a k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> peaceable happ<strong>in</strong>ess. Every freer,more manly step goes past <strong>the</strong>m, to be sure - though by no meanspast history itself! The latter has quite different forces with<strong>in</strong> it, a factrealized by precisely such natures as Wagner: only it has to be written<strong>in</strong> a much more serious, much stricter manner, out <strong>of</strong> a mighty souland <strong>in</strong> general no longer optimistically, as it always has beenhi<strong>the</strong>rto; differendy, that is to say, from how German scholars havewritten it up to now. There is someth<strong>in</strong>g palliative, obsequious andcontented about all <strong>the</strong>ir work, and <strong>the</strong>y approve <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> way th<strong>in</strong>gsare. It is a great deal if one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m lets it be seen that he is contentedonly because th<strong>in</strong>gs could have been worse: most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong>voluntarilybelieve that <strong>the</strong> way th<strong>in</strong>gs have turned out is very good. Ifhistorywere not still a disguised Christian <strong>the</strong>odicy, if it were written withmore justice and warmth <strong>of</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g, it would truly be <strong>of</strong> no usewhatever for <strong>the</strong> purpose to which it is now put: to serve as an opiatefor everyth<strong>in</strong>g revolutionary and <strong>in</strong>novative. <strong>Philosophy</strong> is <strong>in</strong> asimilar situation: all most people want to learn from it is a rough -very rough! - understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, so as <strong>the</strong>n to accommodate<strong>the</strong>mselves to <strong>the</strong> world. And even its noblest representativesemphasize so strongly its power to soo<strong>the</strong> and console that <strong>the</strong><strong>in</strong>dolent and those who long for rest must th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>the</strong>y are seek<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>same th<strong>in</strong>g philosophy is seek<strong>in</strong>g. To me, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong>207

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