The Portland daily press., 1871-08-29
DAILY PRESS.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1871.
DIR. Ignatius Won DOIIinger.
PORTLAND

We translate from the Leipcic Gartenlaube
No. "A, OF this year, the following interest
ing particulars concerning DIR. Dollineer. of
Munich, evidently from the pen of a Catho-
lie:
when for the first time stepped over the
threshold leading to the rooms OF the great
scholar, Ignatius Won Dolllnger, the indefati-
gable and intrepid champion of the liberty of
conscience, l first entered reception room,
which was distinguished from the others only
by high glass cases filled with books.
This was to be my first interview with the
highly revered man; thus far had only cor
responded with him. His sister apprised him
OF my call, aud presently the old Ajax of an
ti-lnialllollity appeared, and alter the first
greeting he kindly invited me into his study.
Dolllnger is man of medium size and
slender form, commanding, yet heart winning
in his appearance. Nobody will call his face
handsome yet it will interest every thinking
observer by what may be called the beauty OF
thoughtfulness. Although Dollinger, the son
OF the renowned Professor and High Medical
Counsellor Ignatius DOllinger, at Bamberg
was born in 1893, his hair has not grown gray,
and his whole appearance indicates that he
will live 10 great age.
They say his eye is somewhat cold and
stony. l have not found it so. 1t is true
that while talking he often looks far before
himself, as if he sow something afar visible
only to him; but when his look smilngly re-
turns, it commands sincere and affectiODate
reverence. There is great amiableness in
the scholar whoshas travelled through such
enormous fields of knowledge and has made
them his own. Yet he does not grow old by
his studying; he Intellectually remains young
and fresh by his work. CosomOpOte in ev-
cry respect, possessed of ample connections,
lxDlx. l.
the absence of wants. He told me he wanted to
be as free as possible, and he therefore had
endeavOred not TO become accustomed to any
wants, because it is only without them that
man is truly free. In former years he had
liked to keep dog, but he had renounced
that wish, lest he should find it necessary to
him. A professsr, friend of mine, he said
would often have liked to stay at home,
but was compelled to go out because his dog
wanted to go.' And thus DOllinger has no
domestic animal, not even bird. He does
not snuff, be does not smoke, he drinks neith-
er wine nor beer. He rises at four O'Clock in
the morning, and goes to bed at nine o'clock
in the evening. At one O'Clock ia the after
neon he takes his plain dinner; then, with the
exception of glass OF water in the evening
nothing is taken by him until the uext morn
ing.
This regularity and abstinence secure the
extraordinary working power of the old schOl
ar. His character, pure as adamant, which
slander does not dare to attack, even in these
days, his benevolent affability,, with which he
kindly meets every visitor, the modest, hearty
conduct of the man, who has become old i'm
struggles and proud in victories; these are the
things which render intercourse with him so
profitable.
Dollinger's residence is high and spacious,
and the handsOmeSt rooms are occupied by
his library, which numbers more than thirty
thousand volumes, and which he jocOsely calls
his better half
His study, which for more than thirty years
has witnessed all the impressions and occur
rences, all the stirring contrasts which have
crowded in this mans life, is not very spaci-
GUS. At the window there stands large
desk, before it a black armchair. To the right
in the corner, is broad sofa, ON which, doubt
less his head has often rested, heavy with
cares and thoughts since those days of the
year 1861, the turning-pOint in his lite, when
he delivered the so-called Odeon lectures, dis
cussed the possibility of the loss of the
Pope's temporal power, and believed himself
entitled to propose reforms for the govern
ment of the Papal territsry. FROM that time
|, he who had been considered as the head o
| the Ultramontanes, has become the object o
attack of many Catholics, particularly OF thu
| eccesiastics OF Germany, who were educated
in Rome. The Ciuilta Cattolica, in particu
lar, has made practice of defaming Dollin
ger.
On the walls of the study there are to b.
seen book-shelves reaching to the ceiling,
few plain pictures in gided frames and
clock, whose low, soft strokes also touch on
sympathetically, and do not disturb the quie
calm of those rooms, but make 1t more dis
tinctly felt.
spent eveI-memorable minutes near til
great man.
reneeG Tia had nof 5hesfh MS ~ nhes
and greatly replied, 81 have seen it comm
for two years, and thatfor which one is pre-
| pared is easier to BEAR"