through and leave them hanging on the sword-the whole company singing in the mean time an appropriate stanza. The presidents then hand the swords to their next neighbors, who now rise from their seats and stand with the swords crossed over the table, whilst a verse is sung, to which they respond, and during the chorus which follows, add their caps to those already on the swords. The presidents then taking back the swords, proceed in this manner to the bottom of the table. Then exchanging swords, they proceed, with appropriate solemnities and singing, to restore to each his cap, the whole being closed with a full chorus. This ceremony usually concludes the commers, and the hole in the cap is the unfailing mark of a thorough bred student.

To return to the initiation of the Foxes. The doors are now thrown open, and there rides in an Old Bursch on a chair with the back before him, followed by the aspirants for honors, each seated like himself, and all dressed in white leather breeches and jack boots. As the train appears the whole assembly break forth into singing, to which the Foxes and their leader respond in alternate verses. It would hardly become the dignity of our journal to transcribe these effusions of the students' muse; and it may be sufficient to say, that the songs consist of various inquiries into the state of affairs at home, and the health of the Fox's family, to which he makes appropriate replies. After this the Fox's abilities are put to a test with pipes and beer, till upon a signal from the president of the Chore, the trial is deemed satisfactory, and the initiation is complete. The assembly then proceed, with ceremonies equally dignified and impressive, to the promotion of the Foxes and Burnt Foxes of the last half year. The other grades of honor are passed into silently; the young Bursch becomes an Old Bursch, and a Mossy Head without farther inflictions.

But the features of German student-life, which have attracted most attention, and are perhaps the subject of most curiosity, are the duels, the sword-duel and the beer-duel; and of these we have here, what is, no doubt, a complete and accurate account. And first of the sword-duel. It is plain, that on the whole this may be regarded rather as an amusement and a trial of skill in fence, than in the usual light of a duel. "The Student," we are told, "seldom fights because he is insulted, but insults because he wishes to fight." Not unfrequently, it would appear, a challenge is given by

one Chore to another, the consequence of which is a number of duels equal to the whole number in the Chores, and this on very trifling cause; or merely to try their relative skill. Then again a single youth goes out of his lodgings, intent on engaging himself for a certain number of duels before he comes home. The regular process, as is probably known to most of our readers, is to violate some ordinary rule of civility, for instance to take the wrong side in passing, or (what may perhaps be considered a pretty wide departure from common rules) to tread on the toes of some unsuspecting wayfarer. On this the offended party demands what is meant; to which the duel-seeker rejoins," What you please." And then there is no choice for the trod upon but to demand the other's name and address, and send a friend to declare to him, that he is a "stupid youth;" inviting him at the same time to one or more rounds of fencing as may be thought fit. Besides this term of "stupid youth," which less noble spirits and less devoted to the muses, might not perhaps think so deadly an offence, there is but one term of opprobrium worse, as appears from our book, which is "Infamen," or "Infamous fellow."

The matter is now announced to the Senior of the Chores, and the preliminaries for the duel arranged. To give a better idea of the danger incurred in common cases, we extract a description of the dress worn on such occasions.

"Some trifling changes take place in this from time to time, but it consists, substantially, of the following pieces. A lesser and a greater cap, according to circumstances hereafter noticed, and which can be made tighter or looser, but which is generally worn loose, so that the blows may take less effect. A tall cravat, which protects the throat, and commonly reaches up to the nose; but this is put on in the hall immediately before the fight commences. The binding of the arm is particularly important, that it may afford it the greatest possible protection, at the same time that it does not impede the action of the wrist and elbow. For this purpose is used a fine leather glove, bound round and secured to the wrist with a silken riband. This binding of the glove must be very carefully performed, so as to defend the sinews and arteries which abound here, as much as possible from injury. The hand is protected by the basket-hilt of the sword. The duellist takes the end of the riband, which secures the glove, in his hand until a similar one has been passed round the elbow. The stulp, a thick and well-quilted cover for

the arm, made of silk, is then drawn on, fitted down upon the glove, and being fastened there by the riband, which also secures the glove, and at the upper part of the arm by other ribands. Another bandage, called the axillary knot, has frequently also been brought under the shoulder to defend the axillary arteries from injury. The last piece of the duel-costume consists of the paukhosen, or duel-trousers. It is made of leather of uncommon thickness, and well stuffed, and comes up so as to form a sort of cuirass, though without iron, such as the soldiers of Columbus used to wear. High as it reaches, it yet leaves a good part of the breast uncovered. It is laced together behind by means of leathern thongs. A thicker glove is fastened to the paukhosen behind for the left hand, or should the duellist happen to be left-handed, for the right, to keep it out of the way during the fight. Before the combatant was thus attired, he had not only his coat, waistcoat, neckcloth, and braces taken off, but his shirt sleeve also slit up from the wrist to the shoulder, so as to give full freedom to the action of the arm; on which account a duel-shirt is frequently kept for the purpose, and put on before going to the place of contest."

"The most customary duel is that with twenty-four rounds and the small cap. Is it fought in the ordinary manner, that is, twenty-four rounds with a conclusive wound? then the duel is ended when a blow falls which is considered a conclusive one, namely, of two inches length, and deep according to student phrase -to cut through the two skins. The duel of twentyfour rounds without conclusive wound proceeds thus. If a considerable hit is made, the doctor must decide whether the duel can proceed or not; in the latter case, the fight is continued, however, as soon as the wounded party is sufficiently restored, which in the twenty-four rounds with a conclusive stroke, as observed, cannot happen. In either kind of duel, however, it must terminate with the twenty-four rounds, though neither has lost blood. In this case, both the antagonists remain unconquered, and give their hands in reconciliation. When a wound is given, which in its own nature or by the rules of the duel proves decisive, the second of the wounded party puts an end to the contest with the words "Remove him!" Distinguished swordsmen generally fight the single round. In this case they fight for a quarter of an hour. The umpire stands with his watch in his hand, marks the pauses which are made for rest when the combatants become weary, and counts them off from the actual time of fighting. So long a time as has been consumed in resting, must the duel extend beyond the quarter. The sixth and last mode consists in fighting without coat, waistcoat, and cra

vat, and without the usual defensive costume. This, of course, is the very worst species of all those which have been enumerated."

By a round is understood the duration of a contest till one has planted an unparried blow on his antagonist; it may be on his person or only on his defensive paraphernalia of such rounds twelve at least are made. The small cap indicates the ordinary cap which the student wears; and the large one, a cap with a very large front or shield. The theological students fight in the large cap, since a scar in the face would amount to a termination of their professional career."- pp. 140, 141, 142,

143.

When in addition to all this it is remembered, that each principal has a second, whose duty it is to stand at his right hand, and protect him as much as is possible without holding his rapier so as to prevent the blows of the antagonist from reaching him, and that those seconds are always the most experienced swordsmen of the Chore, it can be no matter of astonishment that these duels are so little dangerous, and so lightly entered into. To this, however, there are exceptions, and instances are not wanting where the result has been fatal.

But, it may be asked, how is this permitted? and are there no means taken to prevent it?

There are assuredly strict laws at every university against duels; but except in cases of dangerous duels, with the sword or crooked sabre, the punishment is nothing more than eight or fourteen days' imprisonment. In aggravated cases the punishment proceeds even to the worst kind of relegation. The seconds, umpires, spectators, are liable to the same punishment as the principals. But notwithstanding the activity of the beadles, though stimulated by considerable rewards if successful, the students easily contrive to escape detection, the duels being fought always within doors, and not unfrequently in private apartments. It is probable that more efficient means of suppressing them might be taken. It seems, however, that they are gradually diminishing of themselves, the number every where being much less than formerly; whilst in those universities which are situated in large cities they have almost ceased.

The beer-duel, as we understand from this book, has still more fallen into disuse. It is, however, the fact, that there are such duels amongst the German students, and that they have been common — even a prevailing feature in student-life. There is too, it seems, a distinct and quite extensive "beer-comment,"

which is here given at length. This code of laws is to be observed by the students at their drinking-houses, or kneipen. It points out very minutely the rights and duties of the Foxes, Burschen, etc., and affixes penalties to all violation of its rules. The challenge, it appears, is either to drink a certain quantity of beer together, which seems to be nothing more than an invitation to drink, the quantity being limited to four pints or choppins, and not less than half a pint; or to try which can drink most, the manner and the order of drinking being fixed by manifold regulations. This kind of duel, as was just observed, is becoming even less common than the sword-duel; it is to be feared that it may have been much more destructive of life and all that makes life valuable.

The volume before us contains accounts of various other customs of the students their summer and winter amusements -excursions into the country, sleigh-rides, the comitat, or escort out of the town, when the student leaves the university, the students' funeral-but we prefer rather to extract the description of the student's room, both as giving a good specimen of the style of the work and the translation, and as combining most of the characteristic features of student-life.

"The student knows how to live here. He has fitted up his room very commodiously. The sleeping-room certainly is somewhat small; often, rather an alcove, in which, besides his bed, his wardrobe, his dressing-table, and a large trunk, there is little to be seen. But one might almost pronounce his sitting-room comfortable, were it not distinguished by rather too much of a lyrical disorder. Books, pipes, rapiers, clothes, coffee, and writing apparatus, are somewhat too little assorted; and the stove, standing in the room itself— but Germans in this respect know no better. Yet one must admit, that those little machines, which look like an adiaphory, between a Roman urn and a German beer-jug, and which one might take by the end of the long pipe and carry with one along the streets, are very well adapted to the needs of the student, who commonly only wiles away an hour at home, and then hastens again to the college, since they quickly warm the room, and as quickly let it cool again. They are readily made hot, so that you may easily when at full heat light your pipe at them.

"There are not wanting tables, chairs, a commode, a writingtable, and book-shelves, and a sofa that is pretty well used. Our host at first sight looked, to my fancy, somewhat Turkish, as at our morning visit he sat enjoying his pipe and coffee, in a