The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-11-04
The German Student.

the banks of the Neckar. In the groves that
adorn its environs, the student finds de-
lightful retreat, or climbing the hill he ex-
plores one of the most remarkable ruins of
an ancient castle to be found on the Cont
nent. was more interested in the Univer-
sity, as it gave me an opportunity of learn
ing German student life as | had not been
able to gather it elsewhere.
Some of the students had met in my
travels had given me the impression, despite
the rowdyism of many of them in their sum
mer frollcklng excursions, that the Universi.
ties do make more thorough students than
the colleges Of the United States. In nv
letters from Switzerland, have introduced
young German student, to whom formed
a tender attachment. He had warm heart.
and his intellect was cultivated to a degree
not paraIleled IN my acquaintance among
young men. He was just one and twenty
years of age, and had not completed the usu-
al course of collegiate education. But there
was no author in the Latin or Greek Ian
guages. poet, philosopher or historian, whose
works have ever heard of, which were not
as familiar to him as the English classics
are to we'll read men in England or America.
He disco1rsed readily of the style, the dia-
point; he cited passages, and drew ilustra-
tlons from the pages of ancient literature
which seemed to him like household words :;
and one of our amusements when crossing
the Al ps was to discuss the difference in
Greek or Latin words which are usually re-
garded as synonymes.
But classical learning was the least and
lowest attainment of this accomplished
youth. The whole range of natural sciences
had been pursued with zeal that might be
called a passion. Botany and mineralogv
were child's play to him and chemistry
had been favorite study evidently for its
principles often came up in our rambling
discourse, and he was master of it as if he
had been teacher of the science for wears,
Geology was a hobby Of his, and he thrust it
upon me often when | wished he would let
me alone, or discourse of something else. And
yet when | have said all this, have not
mentioned the department in which he was
most at home, where his soul reveled in pro-
found enjoyment, and in which he was re-
solved to spend his life. Metaphysics was
his tavorite pursuit. His analytical mind
was always on the track of investigation,
challenging reason for everything question
ing the truth of every proposition, and never
resting till his reason had subjected it to the
most exhausting process. Yet in the midst
of these studies, including many departments
to which | have not referred, as the exact
sciences, he had polished this fine intellect
by the widest course of polite lteratu ture,
perusing in the German transla;ons all the
old masters of the English tongue, admring
Shakespeare and Milton, and quoting from
them as scholar would from Sophocles or
Homer, and often surprising me by a refer
ence to an English author whose works | had
not supposed were nslated into the German
language. Of course the poets and philoso-
pliers of his father-land were his pride and
love. Often he would speak of them in
terms OF endearment, as if they were his
personal friends; though of beings, present
or past, in heaven or out of it, | think he
loved Plato most.
This boy was just out of his teens, a stu
dent yet, and modest as he was learned ;
burning to learn still more asking questions
tall 1t was tiresOme to hear them; and never
thinking that he knew more than others.
think he was the most learned young man
ever saw; and few old men know half as
much.
He would be a professor, lecturer in some
University. Any man of fair character,
who has taken his degrees, may establish
himself as professor under the shadow of
a German University. He announces his
lectures, and those 90 To hear him yho