The Secret of Hegel

The 2nd, revised, edition (1898) was published simultaneously by 3 different publishers, as follows: (1) Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd (2) London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co, Ltd. (3) New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons This work has influenced many British philosophers and helped to create the philosophical movement known as British idealism.

In Chapter 1 he finds analogies between 16th century English drama and 19th century German idealism and compares Hegel to Shakespeare: "In the ferment of the English Drama, Marlow [sic], Ben Jonson, and others may, even beside Shakespeare, be correctly enough named principals; yet it is the last alone whom we properly term outcome."

In Chapter 11 he expresses some reservations: "In regard to Hegel, satisfaction and dissatisfaction are seldom far from each other, but the latter predominates.

If, for a moment, the words light up, and a view be granted, as it were, into the inner mysteries, they presently quench themselves again in the appearance of mere arbitrary classification and artificial nomenclature."

At the end of the book a political intention becomes clearer as he invokes Hegel against the free thinking, “self will” and atomism he understands as a consequence of the Aufklärung (Enlightenment): “Hegel, indeed, has no object but ‘reconciling and neutralising atomism’ once again to restore to us ‘and in the new light of the new thought’ Immortality and Free-will, Christianity and God.”[3] John Stuart Mill, in his letter of November 6, 1867 to Alexander Bain, wrote: J E Erdmann (A History of Philosophy vol.