The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-12

prayers, calculate the price per bushel Of their
list; twelve thought it sinful and dangerous to
spend more than half year at the dead lam
guages; five thought that Latin might be
learned by the mobiles, but not Greek, whereas
the common people might fairly be suspected
of evil designs if they pretended to learn
whole large number of emperors from the time
of Chsrlemagne to that of the First Napoleon,
not moro than two or three proved themselves
patrons Of literature, science or the arts
scarcely more than that number were enlight-
ened soverei2ns or true friends of Germany.
Charles Nv. was the only one of the empe-
rors who voluntarily founded a literary institu-
ton of a respectable rank. To him Germany
is indebted for the University Of Prague; and,
initiating his example, the Hapsburgs founded
the Universities of Heidelberg and Vienna.
No other great works can be traced to the
emperors; the poorest Of the petty princes,
not to mention the kings, have done more for
the development of the German intellect
Thus, for example, even the Emperor Charles
Nv. himself did not do as much for literature,
science or the arts as the Duke of Sake
Weimar, who was the patron and friend of
Goethe, Schiller, Wieland, Herder and Les
sing. Accordingly nearly all those great
men, instead of mourning over the fall Of
the German empire, were glad that it had
passed away. This is particularly true Of
Goethe, the German Shakespeare, who not
only welcomed Napoleon to Germany rs q
conqueror, but was proud to wear the Grand
Cross Of the Legion Of Honor in token of his
acquiescence In the doom of that empire
which it is now so much the habit even In this
republic to regard as q bulwark against all
danger.
But if only very few emperors can be men,
toned as having done any important service
as such to Germany 1t is easy to point out
several who caused much mischief to the
Fatherland. Louis, the very first successor
Of Charlemagne, caused bloody and
desolating rebellion by dividing his
dominions among his three sons. Charles
the Bald was poisoned for being tyrant, and
Charles the Fat was deposed by his subjects
for being a coward. Ohio I'LL, called the
Red was also poisoned; Henry w., Ohio
w., Frederick II. and Adolphus were each
deposed because they were oppressors, i'm
beetles or towards. 1t was Henry Nv. whom
the Pope caused to appear before him clothed
in the hair shirt of a penitent and also
remained exposed in the courtyard bare
headed and barefooted for three days and
three nights at mid winter, until his Holiness
gave him permission to enter the house and
resume his usual habit Henry v. warred
against his father until he robbed him Of the
imperial crown, although the old man threw
himself on his knees before him. imploring
his son with streaming eyes to have pity on
his gray hairs.
But we can only mention one other fact in
this article, illustrative of the general char
acter Of German imperialism. After the death
of Conrad w., in 1928, the imperial crown
was offered to the highest bidder, and Richard
Of Cornwall, brother of Henry III. Of England,
bought the prize, paying for it, according to
the chroniclers of the time, thirty-two
wagons, each loaded with hogshead of gold.
This was by no means the only instance in
which imperial Germany was bought and sold,
while very closely ''united;" but the unity
was much more for the benefit of the pur-
chaser than for that of the honest and indus
trious but rather credulous German people,
We would fain hope that it may be different in
the future, although we would not have our
readers be too sanguine on the subject, at
least.