course, and that usually consisting of only one lecture in each week. The object is, to give as little free instruction as will comport with the tenor of their appointments. The second class, or private lectures, are those which have thus been introduced. They are precisely similar in their nature to the public ones, and delivered in the same place, and often to the same hearers. The only difference is, that for these each student pays a small fee; and the professor consequently endeavours to make these courses more interesting and instructive. The courses continue nominally six months; the year being divided into two terms or semesters, with a vacation of five or six weeks in the spring and autumn. Most of the professors give two courses of private lectures in each term, and sometimes three. In some of the courses lectures are delivered six times a week; in others four; and sometimes, though rarely, only twice. The fees paid by the students are small; for a course of theological lectures never more than one Frederic d'or, or about four dollars. In some instances a professor of law receives double fees; and even much more than this is paid for some courses of medical lectures. In the larger universities, as Berlin and Göttingen, where things are done more genteelly, these payments must always be made in gold. In Halle they may be made in any species of money; and the price of a course is graduated according to the number of lectures in a week. The private teachers receive the same fees as the professors; and for the sake of popularity usually give also a course of public lectures, although this is not a necessary part of their duties.-The instruction which is given privatissime, consists simply in private lessons.

The number of hearers whom a lecturer can draw together, depends upon the nature of his subject and his reputation. It depends also upon the general number of the students who frequent that particular university; although this again is in some degree dependent upon the celebrity of the professor, or rather the professors. If these have a high reputation, the university will generally not want for students. Sometimes also an individual professor makes an important improvement in some branch of science or literature, and creates a new era in regard to it. In such cases a new impulse is given to that particular study; students are attracted to his university; and his lecture room is crowded. Gesenius may be quoted as an instance of this in respect to Hebrew literature. In the winter of 1829-30 the writer attended his course on Genesis, which he reads every

two years. At the opening of the course he took occasion to remark, that he was then about to read it for the tenth time; and adverted to the very great progress made in this branch of study, and the very great interest taken in it now, compared with twenty years ago. At that time he commenced the same course with fourteen hearers; he was now addressing five hundred. He added, that he had then felt quite satisfied even with that comparatively small number; inasmuch as a previous course on the same book, by Professor Vater, had been attended by only three. The great influx of theological students to Halle had thus been occasioned by the influence of his name. In like manner, the reputation of a particular faculty often draws to a university a larger number of students in that department. Thus the faculty of law at Göttingen has enjoyed a high reputation, and has attracted young men from every part of Germany. At present all the faculties in the university of Berlin are filled with some of the most distinguished men of Germany; and the consequence is a larger concourse of students, than has ever been known at any other protestant institution.-The lecture room of Gesenius is probably better filled than any other in Germany. Neander in Berlin had usually from three to four hundred in his exegetical course on the New Testament; in his other courses fewer. The younger Eichhorn, the jurist, in Göttingen, had about three hundred; and was considered the most popular lecturer on law in the country. He has since retired. His father, the orientalist, had ordinarily from ninety to a hundred hearers. Wegscheider and Thilo of Halle have each about three hundred. These are some of the more popular lecturers; with others the number varies according, to circumstances, and is not unfrequently less than ten.*

As a general fact, the professors deliver their lectures at their own houses. The recent universities of Berlin and Bonn occupy former palaces, and have ample room for all necessary lecture rooms, as well as for the public collections. In Halle also the university has one large lecture room, which is occupied by the theological professors in succession. But in Göttingen and at most of the other universities, each professor has to provide his own auditorium, and the accommodations for sitting and writing are commonly of the rudest kind. It is not unusu

*In the College de France and the Ecole des langues orientales at Paris, De Sacy and the other professors of languages rarely, if ever, have more than from ten to fifteen pupils.

al for the students to have to hurry from one lecture to another, at the distance perhaps of half a mile. To accommodate them in this respect, the professor does not commence until five or ten minutes, as the case may be, after the hour has struck. In Berlin, although this reason does not exist, the lectures uniformly do not commence until a quarter after the hour, and are broken off punctually at the striking of the clock. They thus actually occupy only three quarters of an hour; although a full hour is the legitimate and usual time.

The students, before entering the university, are required to have passed through a regular course of preparatory study at the gymnasia or public classical schools. At these schools, boys are taken at the age of from eight to twelve; and are trained in a thorough course of classical study. They are taught, not only to read the Greek and Latin with fluency, but also to write them. They are moreover accustomed to speak the latter language with ease, and in the latter part of their course to hold all their exercises in it. This is one of the great secrets of the advantage of classical study as the foundation of a liberal education; and this circumstance goes far to account for the fact, why the early study of these languages is so much more highly prized in Europe, than with us. Here they are but partially studied; they are learned solely by the eye, and not by the ear. The American student is taught merely to connect the idea with the word which he sees before him, and not to connect the word with the idea. For example, if a boy be asked what is the Greek word for water, it is at least an even chance that he will not be able to answer the question; but if at another time you place before his eyes the word "doo, he immediately recals the idea of water, because this idea has been already associated in his mind with this word. He could not answer in the first case, because the word was not in the same manner associated with the idea. Now this double power is necessary, in order to the thorough or even tolerable acquisition of any language. The one part of it we learn from reading; the other part alone enables us to write and speak another tongue with fluency and ease. It is obvious that in regard to the discipline of the youthful mind, the latter part of the process is far more important than the former. But in our own country, this part is comparatively speaking, entirely neglected; and the student is taught only to recal the meaning of words as he sees them on paper. In the public schools of the old world, both parts of the process are carried on

together, and in the most thorough manner; and the result is a deep and solid foundation, on which to raise the future superstructure of education.

The consequence of all this is, that the German students on leaving the gymnasia for the universities are, as to philology and classical literature, far in advance of American students at the end of their college course. But in acquaintance with mathematics, the belleslettres, and in general practical information, the former are inferior to the latter. But they have acquired a method and habit of study, and a discipline of the mind, which enable them to enter upon the university course with well directed ardour and a sure prospect of success. Here they can spread out their inquiries to any extent; and besides their regular professional studies, may and often do attend courses of lectures on classical or modern literature, history, the natural sciences, etc. As a general fact, however, both with regard to students and literary men, there is a mu greater division of labour among them than with us. Every one endeavors to make himself master of his own particular department; but has in other departments and on other subjects less general knowledge than is common with us. One grand result of the whole process of education is, that what they learn, they learn thoroughly, and have always at command. In matters of learning they are ready men, as well as profound

scholars.

The students on entering the university from the gymnasia, pass from a state of discipline and close supervision to a state of entire freedom. Having once chosen their profession, they may attend what lectures they please, and as few as they please; they may live where they please, and do what they please. The university exercises no authority over them whatever, so long as they are not guilty of open misconduct. These are circumstances which may serve to account for that wild spirit of insubordination and visionary liberty, which has been represented as so prevalent among the students of Germany. Prevalent it undoubtedly has been and is still; but probably in a much less degree than has generally been supposed. The riots, and duels, and renowning, all the noise and folly and crime, are confined to a few in comparison with the great body of the students, who are engaged in a course of silent, persevering study. noise and bustle of these few have struck foreigners as a peculiar feature of the German students, and have therefore been fully and frequently described; while the more noiseless

The

course of the many has escaped their observation. The circumstances above mentioned have operated more conspicuously in the smaller university cities, such as Jena, Göttingen, etc. where the students, feeling their importance in respect to the inhabitants, have assumed a greater license, and have been at the same time unrestrained by the force of public opinion. The modern plan of locating universities in large cities, has been eminently successful in abolishing this spirit. The students in Berlin, for instance, are lost in the crowd of population; and could not as a body indulge in any of the freaks which are common at other universities, without being borne down by the ridicule of the surrounding multitudes.

The students, as has been already said, attend what courses of lectures they please. There are however certain professional courses which they must have attended, in order to be afterwards admitted to an examination. In theology for instance a man must have heard lectures in all the four departments of exegesis, Dogmatik or doctrinal theology, ecclesiastical history, and Homiletik or practical theology. These are significantly called Brodcollegia; because a man's future bread depends on his having heard them. In Berlin there is also a regulation, that the students in theology shall attend the courses in a certain order; inasmuch as it was found, that they often attended the practical lectures, before they were acquainted with either exegetical or systematic theology. Very often too the students in general attend the lectures of a particular professor from fashion, rather than from any choice. Not unfrequently there are lecturers in the philosophical department, who draw crowded audiences out of all the other faculties. This is the case with Ritter of Berlin, the celebrated geographer, a man of piety and genuine simplicity of character, as well as of profound learning in his department. The lectures of Böckh on Greek antiquities are also attended by all classes of hearers. In like manner it is fashionable to attend the courses of Blumenbach at Göttingen. The fashion however often varies from year to year, and in regard to the different courses of the same professors.

As a general rule, all the students not only take notes of the lectures, but mostly write them out in full. The professor often spends a part of the time in regular dictation, which is written down by all; while between the paragraphs he gives extempore illustrations, which are also seized and written down by many. It is exceedingly rare to see a student in the lecture room with