19

STUDENT-LIFE IN GERMANY.

It is not our intention to enter into a consideration of the comparative merits of the English and German university systems; our readers have recently had an opportunity of being edified on this subject by the collective wisdom of the country in the House of Commons. It cannot be denied that the system pursued in Germany is eminently favourable to free and dauntless investigation, save and except the region of practical politics, where truly the censorship and the police take care to keep the wings of liberty somewhat closely clipped. But these unnatural restraints do but enhance the value of the freedom of the mind permitted in German universities. It is true that that this freedom leads to daring speculations in religion, and to a treatment of the most illustrious men that have adorned their literature, which sometimes startles Englishmen accustomed to bow down in willing reverence before the genius of Shakspeare and Milton; yet, with all its defects, we think that this system leads to a more unbiased love of truth, for its own sake, unobscured by the shadow of great authorities. The idle and the weak suffer, and yield more easily to temptation, unable to bear the strong light which bursts upon them; the more diligent, highlygifted and strong-minded gain by it immeasurably. If a speculative philosopher, whose life had been passed remote from places where students most do love to congregate, were asked what would be the demeanour of those who devote themselves to the pursuits of vital medicine, graver law and theology," which treats of things divine," his answer would most probably be, "Serious and sedate, as the subjects of their pursuit." Ye gods! what shouts of laughter would at this answer rend the skies, from Cam and Isis, Seine and Spree! Something too much there is of Saturnalia and Carnival in the three or four happy years of the German student. But the whole of their life is not to be pourtrayed after the fashion of " Peter Priggins, Scout." The noise, the folly, and excess, like all worthless and trivial things, float upon the surface. These form, however, but the reverse of the picture, which, viewed from the opposite side, exhibits the image of Apollo or Minerva in bright majesty, holding the laurel-crown which they are ever willing to confer upon their ardent votaries.

The stream which never overflows, seldom fructifies; and bounteous nature has decked all the flowers and blossoms, the sweet promise of future riches, in her gayest colours. The mind of youth is never more apt to run riot, than when it has been poring over serious studies: there is an insolence of nealth about it, that displays itself in freaks, at which the staid and sober stand aghast. We abominate the beer

which the German students offer in such plentiful libations at the shrine of Gambrinus, and we think the noble art of self-defence was given for other purposes, than in boyish quarrels, or no quarrels, to slit each other's noses; but we must take men as we find them: their wild oats sown, these lawless sons of Alma Mater frequently become the ornaments of their country. Moreover, although there is no Father Matthew in that country, the Saxon of the present day may read certain not very complimentary passages in the Merchant of Venice, with as safe a conscience as an Englishman. But a few short years, and many of the singular scenes here represented to our readers will have passed away.

Turn we now to the plates before us, and let us give, as in duty bound, due preference to the Pedell, who, like his English namesake, the beadle (or proctor) is a personage not to be trifled with.

THE PEDELL.

A merry story I have boys, to tell,

Of crabbed Old Spyright, the prying Pedell,

Who never has anything better to do

Than pick holes in the coat of a student or two.
So listen while I tell

Of the old Pedell.

Karl and Heinz, as you know, were determined to fight,
In good student fashion, as was ever our right;
So without more ado, for why waste precious words,
They sent their man Michael to carry their swords.
"A rat I smell,"

Said the old Pedell.

For Mike he espied, as he stole through the gate,
And he hasten'd away, to lie for us in wait
At good widow Gumprecht's, for there well he knew
Was, on all such occasions, our rendezvous.
"They'll be here pell-mell,"

Said the old Pedell.

"Now where shall I hide, for if I'm seen here,
They'll be off ere one swallows a töpfchen of beer

I have it, for there stands close by the hut,

Just the thing, I declare, the old waterbutt."
And in it he fell,

Did the old Pedell