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 advered 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 s 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. Wegschieder 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 public collections. In Halle also the uni

versity 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 unusual 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.

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. The 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 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, &c., 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. is exceedingly rare to see a student in the lecture room without his writing materials in busy use. These are very simple, consisting of a small portfolio, or Mappe, in which he carries his pens and paper, and a small turned inkstand of horn, with a cover that screws on, and a small sharp spike on the bottom, by which it is stuck fast upon the bench or writing-table before him. They are exceedingly punctual: and the few minutes previous to the entrance of the professor are usually devoted to mending their pens and putting their papers in order; this is accompanied by a general whistling and buz of conversation. The moment the professor enters, all is hushed; he begins immediately to read, and they to write, sometimes without interruption till the striking of the clock. In this way they hurry from one lecture to another, and it is not uncommon for them to attend five or six every day. There are not wanting instances where a student has in this manner been present at ten different courses; but this is quite rare. They very generally review at home the lectures thus written down; and read or consult the books referred to by the

professor. This is sometimes done in companies of five or six, who by their mutual remarks serve to imprint the subjects more deeply on the minds of each other. They thus obtain, generally speaking, a clear view and receive a deep impression of so much information as the professor has chosen to give them. There are others, although their number is comparatively small, who merely make the lectures what they are in fact, a clue for the guidance of their studies, and go into extensive and profound investigation for themselves. These are the men who love knowledge for its own sake, as well as because it is power; and while the multitude are ready to take up with the reports of others, they wish to trace for themselves the stream of knowledge to its source, and drink of its pure waters at the crystal fountain.

"The regular time necessary to be spent at the German universities in professional studies, is for medical students four years; for all others three years. As a general rule, young men are required to be principally educated at the universities of their own state; but are allowed to spend one year of their course at any foreign university. Thus natives of Prussia who study theology must remain at least two years at some Prussian university; in the other year they may go wherever they please. Those states which have no university of their own, usually adopt a neighbouring one. Thus Göttingen, which belongs to Hanover, is at the same time adopted by Brunswick and Nassau as their university; and the young theologians of these states are obliged to spend at least two years on the classic, though somewhat naked banks of the Leine.

"After these remarks on the general character of the German universities, it may not be uninteresting to the reader to give an alphabetical list of them, accompanied by notices of their general history; of the more distinguished professors, especially in the Theological Faculties; of the number and general division of the students, so far as known; of their libraries, &c.

I. BERLIN. Population, 220,000. University supported by the influence of the Court and Government; is established in an immense palace, built for the residence of Prince Henry, brother of the Great Frederick. It has been the favourite desire of the King to collect the ablest professors in Germany. The Faculty of Medicine is superior to any other in Germany; the Philosophical is not inferior; and the Theological is abler and better attended than any other, except that of Halle. Berlin has a decided preponderance as to evangelical religion, and it may be regarded as one of the strong holds of faith and true piety in Germany. Neander, the first ecclesiastical historian of the age, and perhaps the best exegetical lecturer on the New Testament, is the ornament of this University. The number of students in 1829 was somewhat over 1,800. The expense to a student for living, &c. was 300 rix dollars; generally speaking, they are of a superior rank to those that frequent other universities. It has

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no separate library, but has the full use of the Royal one, which contains 180,000 volumes, and 7,000 MSS.

II. BONN was founded in 1818; it is rising fast to rank high with its elder sister; it is situated on the Rhine, where a large proportion of the population is Roman Catholic; therefore it has both a Protestant and Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology; a great portion of the Protestant Theological Faculty is evangelical; and in the region of country round about, there is a general prevalence of pure faith and practice. There are some learned men amongst the Roman Catholic professors. In the year 1830 there were 1000 students; amongst the theological students, the Roman Catholics were most numerous. The library contains 66,000 volumes.

III. BRESLAU, located in the capital of Silesia, was founded by the Jesuits in 1702. There is now both a Roman Catholic and Protestant Theological Faculty; the number of students 1,200; the library is an important one.

IV. ERLANGEN, the Protestant University of Bavaria, founded in 1743; it has a fine building, and funds amounting to 60,000 rix dollars a year. The number of students is on the decline; it has now only 431 students, of whom 207 are theologians. The library contains 100,000 volumes.

V. FREIBURG in the Briesgau, the Roman Catholic University of Baden, founded in 1457; number of students, 600; it has a large library, rich in old books, collected from dissolved monasteries.

VI. GIESSEN, the University of Hesse Darmstadt, founded in 1607, has a yearly income of 60,000 florins.* The library contains 60,000 volumes. The students, 500.

VII. GÖTTINGEN was founded by George II. of England. It was established on its liberal plan by the celebrated minister, Von Münchhausen. The sevices of the ablest men were secured; and Mosheim, Haller, Michaelis, and their successors, Heyne, Blumenbach, and Eichhorn, are and have been amongst its ornaments. Thousands of young men have received education here, and it has been not only calculated to attract German students, but also foreigners, from the celebrity of its professors, and the liberal spirit which pervaded its lectures, and the gentlemanly tone which marked its society. Göttingen is rather on the decline as to the number of students; it contained in 1830, 1,300. The religious character and influence of the Univerity of Göttingen may be summed up in a few words. Orthodoxy is acknowledged here, but not evangelical piety. In 1827, one of the privatim docentes, who had been in England, attempted to institute private religious meetings or conferences, but he was put down by the University, backed by the Government. The practice of the University is decidedly against evangelical truth and piety, and goes far to spread Rationalism. The library is one of the largest, and for practical uses, the best on the Continent; it contains