The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-01-09


German life.
Life ana. Literature In the Fatheriand.l
The pictures of German life in
various interesting aspects, which
are presented in this volume, are
the fruit of tho authors personal
experience during somewhat pro-
tracted residence in different parts
of Germany. With little preten-
sions to completeness or orderly
method, theybring before the reader
many social and domestic details
which illustrate the German char
acter, and exhibit a mode of life to
which few approaches have ever
been made in our own country. The
author was particularly impressed
with the contentment, frugality and
harmony which usually prevails in
German households, Many fami-
lies of the highest social standing
often occupy but single floor.
Every room is furnished with ex-
treme simplicity. There is no desire
to appropriate the whole of q large
house. If u man grows prosperous
in business,it is not his first thought
to get out of his modest apartment
into larger one, or to buy n house
for the sole occupation Of his family.
1t is no part of the German char
acter to make an ostentatious dis.
play with the increase of wealth.
If he INDUCES in excessive luxury,
it is presumed that either he or his
wife has been in America. The
first material comfort that wealthy
German thinks of is good store Of
rare wines in his cellar, and then
an abundance of servants. The
breakfast is very simple. The true
German will hardly move n step
until he has had his coffee, with one
or two biscuits, but no butter. The
scholar will not open his book or
take up his pen before this light
rcpast. At ten O'Clock lunch of
bread and cheese, or something of
a similar character, is taken, and
few honrs after comes an early din
ner, always of substantial dishes.
A light tea, at about half-past six,
according to the author, closes the
meals of the day, but in many, if
not most parts OF Germany, the
visitor will be apt to find tooth
some supper at eight or nine o'clock,
of beer, bread, meat, and perhaps a
fragrant potatoe salad. In pleasant
summer afternoons, many families
take coffee in little arbors in the
garden, where the ladies sit and
gossip with their friends, and in the
evening are joined by the gentlemen
on their return from their places of
business. The art of keeping II
hotel and conducting II shop Is car
ried to perfection not dreamed of
in America. Mr. Hurst was once
told by n lady who had been in
New York, that all the clerks seem
ed to be angry with her. But in
Germany the customer is treated
with the greatest civility. Every
care is taken that your exact want
is supplied, so that yon may come
again and keep coming. If you
buy nothing there is no change in
the shopkceper $ behavior. But
you must not carry your own par
cells, not oven quirc of writing
paper. This would make children
laugh at you in the street. You are
expected to take your hat off when
you enter the shop, and keep it off
as long as you stay. Mr.. Hurst
dcvole- good deal of space to the
educational institutionso of Germany,
although some of his information is
of rather ancient date. His com
parison between several of the lead
ing universities may be found
serviceablo by the young Americans
with whom it is a passion to com
plete or continue their studies in
Germany. Berlin oxcels the other
German universities in the extent
of its facilities. Tubingen Ia its
equal in philology, Gottingen in
jurisprudence, Halle in theology
Heidelburg in physics, and Vienna
in medicine. But Berlin affords the
widest scope Of study, and in many
respects presents greater advantages
for foreign residents Tho Amer
lean, however, should judge accord
ing to the present excellence of the
department in which he. is inter
rested, and not by its past reputa-
ton. No university retains its su-
periority in anv special branch
for n great length of time. This
depends on the character of the pro
fessors. Berlin never was in church
history what it was in the time Of
Neander. If ono wishes TO stay
abroad two years, he would do well
TO spend the first in some other uni
versity, and the last in Berlin. Mr..
Hurst gives some curious, though
not very novel details concerning
authorship and the book trade in
Germany, with sketches OF several
of the prominent living writers.
His book is of very miscellaneous
and discursive character, but no
doub. il would have been less read.
able il IL. had been more profound.
A NUMBER of the officers OF the Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Texas, Teas and
Pacific, and Houston and Texas Gem