The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

UNIVERSITY OF BONN. London, 1844.
In this unassuming little volume we have an ac-
count of the University of Bonn—one of the most
eminent seats of instruction on the Continent, where,

among many other illustrious individuals, Prince
Albert received his education—of its rise, progress,
and present state, together with a concise sketch of
the college life of his Royal Highness. Bonn was
formerly, it seems, the splendid palace of the Arch-
bishops of Cologne, and stands on the south side of
the town of Bonn, occupying a vast space of ground,
with a finely wooded lawn in front, and forming one
long range of buildings, which from the centre
extends to a considerable distance towards the east
and west. It is a well-endowed University, conducted
on a liberal and comprehensive scale, and has attached
to it upwards of fifty paid professors. The supreme
authority is vested in the Minister of Public Worship
at Berlin, but is practically delegated to the Curator,
as first resident officer under the Government, who
acts co-ordinately with the Academical Senate—a
body composed of professors with the rector at their
I head, who is assisted by a judge appointed by the
Crown. The salaries paid to the ordinary and extra-
ordinary professors vary in amount from a hundred
and fifty to three hundred pounds per annum, but the
chief source of their income, is derived from the de-
livery of public lectures. It is greatly to the credit
of this University that Protestants and Roman Ca-
tholics are admitted indiscriminately, and no in-
vidious distinctions are kept up between them, but
b I_l are treated with equal impartiality. When will
Oxford and Cambridge adopt such a liberal system ?
We quote some particulars respecting Prince Albert
and his brother's residence at Bonn
The young Princes had, as the chief officer of a se-
lect household, conducted with the greatest order and
regularity, a German nobleman, who is represented to
have acquitted himself to their entire satisfaction. It
consisted of fifteen persons in all, including domestics,
and both brothers had conjointly a choice stud, in which
not only were several of the finest and best horses that
could be found in Germany, but also some excellent spe-
cimens of the English breed. In fact, Prince Albert's
establishment at Bonn, though limited in extent, yet
evincing, as it did, the true grace and dignity of exalted
rank, was, in all respects, suited to the position of an il-
lustrious personage, whom the very highest destinies
have since awaited.

" During the time required for completing the various
culinary and other arrangements, the table of the
Princes was supplied by Mr. Schmidt, of the Star Hotel,
at Bonn, where many an epicure from all parts of
Europe, with a most fastidious taste and unaccommo-
dating palate, has involuntarily felt himself obliged to
admit that he had never before fared better in the whole
course of his travels. Far, very far, however, were the
two Princes of Coburg from indulging or cultivating any
such taste during the period of their residence here. On
the contrary, they had the character of setting an edify-
ing example of the greatest moderation and simplicity in
their repasts. Though they frequently gave costly ban-
quets to parties of between twenty and thirty students,
selected entirely for their personal worth and talents, and
without any regard to the circumstances of birth or
fortune, they themselves could hardly be said to partake
of the rare luxuries provided for the occasion, so rigidly
temperate were they both, and more especially Prince
Albert.

" The people of England were not a little surprised at
first, to hear that the Queen and the Royal Consort were
seen walking together at a very early hour on the morn-
ing of the very day after their marriage. But while at
Bonn, Prince Albert was particularly distinguished from
all the other students of the same rank, for the salutary
habit of early rising, one which he had uniformly per-
severed in from his boyhood, and therefore it is very
natural that he should have adhered to it after he bad
come of age, whether in England or in any other coun-
try, and be likely to do so all the days of his life.
" At Bonn the Prince generally rose about half-past
five o'clock in the morning, and never prolonged his re-
pose after six. From that hour up to seven in the even-
ing, he assiduously devoted his whole time to his studies,
with the exception of an interval of three hours, which
he allowed himself for dinner and recreation. At seven,
he usually went out, and paid visits to those individuals
or families who were honoured with his acquaintance."