The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-11

Ttsodor No-r,r-a. soon die. Mommsen
belonged also 10 a political generation
which is almost extinct. He was one
Of the empires Forty-uiners, that
is, he worked and suffered in toe revo-
lutionary days OF 1883. He belonged
to the old-fashioned class of scholars
in German politics. most Of whom, with
the founding of the new empire. were -ele-
gat ed 70 harmlessness and ooscurity in
affairs of state. Mommsen Was born on
November 80 ISL, at Gerding, in
Holstein. His earliest education was
given him by his father, an evangelical
pastor. From the gymnasium ar Altoona
ne was graduated into the University Of
kiel. He had the absorbing desire 70
know all that charaeterizes most embryo
scholars when first let loose in the almost
unbouuded educational field Of German
university. and studied an amazing num-
Der OF subjects. Greek. Latin, French,
italian and Spanish. jurisprudence, ancient
and modern history. and European litera-
ture of the last century were among the
subjects OF his selection. In his fourth
semester he thought he had call 20 be-
come poet. and with his brother Tycho
published volume OF verses. OF his con-
tributions 10 this volume a Berlin critic
said: ats Distinguishing feature is the
complete absence of all poetic grace,
| beauty or rhythm" Mommsen gave up
verse-naking At once when he perceived
that his talents did not favor it and de-
voted himself to Jurisprudence and
history. In 1872 he became doctor of
philosophy, and one year later, az the age
of %, he published the first Of long
series of works on which his tame as q
scholar rests. Il was entitled de COL
legiis ct Sodaliciis Romanorum" This
was followed soon By another work of
similar thoroughness and beauty of s:vle.
and dozens of letters, essays and cri,i-
cisms in newspapers and periodicals.
Mommsen, still under 30, was known
throughout Germany, not only for his
dashing style and deep learning, but
also for his arrogance and his Bit
te-ness in controversy. In 1916 he was
sent 10 Italy for two years by the Berlin
Academy of Science. The brewing polit-
ical discomfort there stirred his radical
sympathies, and he returned TO Berlin
just after the March disturbances Of 1915.
with all his fighting spirit aroused He
plunged into the excitement of those ex-
citing times, Joined the editorial staff of q
radical daily. and pointed his keen pen
toward the hope OF new regime. A few
months later he was professor OF Roman
law III Leipsic. Still he could not give up
politics. He stood on the platform almost
nightly, schemed with radical agitators
daily. and during the May revolution in
Dresden would not be silenced in his de-
mands for constitutional progress. He
was seldom in the lecture room, his study
was unoccupied. In an effort to still his
activity the government had him arrested
for meeting the people against il. and the
university suspended him from Office.
He was acquitted by the courts. but
the Saxon government dismissed him
from his professorship. For wear
he supported himself meanly with his
pen, and made public some OF the re-
suits of his scholarly work in Italy. Then
he was called 10 Zurich. the refuge of
Europe's political offenders, 10 take a
chair in the legal faculty. During his two
years residence there he gave evidence of
his unsurpassed energy by writing two
monographs and his first volume of his
great history of Rome. besides attending
faithfully TO his duties in the lecture
room and private seminary In
1854 Mommsen accepted the call of
the PrussIan government to Bres-
lau's chair OF Roman law. He remained
there almost four years, during which he