and Boston, called the classical learning, history, chemistry, botany, and natural history that prevailed, excepting here and there a man eminent in some one of these branches-"a mere smattering." "As to libraries," he wrote, "we have no such things. There are not more than three or four tolerable libraries in America, and these are extremely imperfect. Great numbers of the most valuable authors have not found their way across the Atlantic." It is evident that in history we are much further away from those times than we are in years.'

Apparently, Mr. Ticknor must have learned more about Göttingen from Villers and his friend Thacher than from Madame de Staël. "Germany," the latter said, "not merely proposes to open to France new sources of poetry," but "endeavors to apply to a great nation the doctrine of progress;" or, as the same writer expresses it in another place: "The whole work is governed by a plan which is to make Germany known to the French; to explain it to them, and, by contrast, to explain France to the Germans, and make them admire her more; to reinvigorate French literature, to enlarge the horizon, and to open to poetry new avenues to new sources." After the French manner, Madame de Staël tends to ideas rather than to positive information. The chapter "Of the German universities" is meager enough in respect to real knowledge, but rich in general views, which, however, relate but little to the specific subject in hand. Göttingen is mentioned in a single sentence in connection with Halle and Jena. The prevalence of the philosophic spirit, the strength of the speculative habit, the want of energy in the national character, are more inviting topics to the writer than more practical subjects. Several pages are devoted to the educational value of the study of languages, mathematics, grammar, and of attempts to convey instruction in the guise of amusement. Still we get some positive information. "All the north of Germany is filled with the most learned universities in Europe. In no country, not even in England, have the people so many means of instructing themselves and of bringing their faculties to perfection." The antiquity of the universities is remarked, and the superiority of the Protestant ones asserted. "The literary glory of Germany depends altogether upon these institutions." A few words are given to the regimen and spirit. "The rich and poor scholars were distinguished from each other only by personal merit, and the strangers who repaired from all parts of the world submitted themselves with pleasure to an equality which natural superiority alone could disturb." "In every German university several professors concurred together in each individual branch of instruction. Thus the masters themselves imbibed a principle of emulation from the interest which they felt in attaining a superiority over each other in the number of scholars they attracted." This led to "the universality of acquirements which is to be remarked in almost all the well-informed men of Germany." The writer thinks

Henry Adams, History of the United States, Vol. I, pp. 62, 63, 94. The state of liberal learning in New England is in good part illustrated by Mr. Adams's account of its foremost university. "On an average of ten years, from 1790 to 1800, 39 young men annually took degrees from Harvard College, while during the ten years, 1766-1776, that preceded the Revolutionary war 43 bachelors of arts had been annually sent into the world, and even in 1720-1730 the average number had been 35. The only sign of change was that in 1720-1730 about 140 graduates had gone into the church, while in 1790-1800 only about 80 chose this career. At the earlier period the president, a professor of theology, one of mathematics, and four tutors gave instruction to the undergraduates. In 1800 the president, the professor of theology, the professor of mathematics, and a professor of Hebrew, created in 1765, with the four tutors, did the same work. The method of instruction had not changed in the interval, being suited to children 14 years of age. The instruction itself was poor and the discipline was indifferent. Harvard College had not in eighty years made as much progress as was afterwards made in twenty. Life was quickening within it as within all mankind; the spirit and vivacity of the coming age could not be wholly shut out; but none the less the college resembled a priesthood which had lost the secret of its mysteries, and patiently stood holding the flickering torch before cold altars until God should vouchsafe a new dispensation of sunlight." (P. 77.) For George Ticknor's efforts for reform in Harvard College see his Life, Letters, and Journals, Vol. I, chap. 17, and his Remarks on Changes lately proposed or adopted at Harvard College. Boston, 1825.

2 Sorel, Madame de Staël, pp. 167, 202.

ED 98-39

that the excellence of scholarship is due largely to the study of languages. This is the close of the chapter, which, perhaps, was as well calculated to impress the mind of an aspiring young scholar like Mr. Ticknor as any part of it:

The impartiality which is natural to the spirit of the Germans leads them to take an interest in the literature of foreign countries, and we find few men a little elevated above the common herd who are not familiar with several languages. On leaving school they are in general already well acquainted with Latin and even with Greek. The education of the German universities, says a French writer, begins where that of most nations in Europe ends. Not only the professors are men of astonishing information, but what distinguishes them above all things is their extreme scrupulousness in the art of instruction. In Germany men have a conscience in everything, and there is nothing that can dispense with it. If we examine the course of human destiny we shall see that levity of disposition may lead to everything that is bad in the world. It is only in childhood that levity has a charm; it seems as if the Creator still led the child by the hand, and assisted him to tread gently over the clouds of life, but when time abandons man to himself it is only in the seriousness of his soul that he can find reflection, sentiment, and virtue.1

a The Colony Book has an additional rubric giving the address in Göttingen, but I have omitted

that as irrelevant.

The date of initiation, I take it.

c This is probably an error, as Bancroft took Ph. D. here in 1820.

The first French edition of On Germany was destroyed by the order of Napoleon's Government. The work was first brought out in translation by John Murray, in London, in 1813.

Names of American students in Göttingen, 1789-1851-Continued.

From here on the list becomes much larger in each semester, and after 1852 the Patriarchs' reports give additional information. Here one finds the names of very many American professors-i. e., professors in after years.

East Hampton.

Charleston..

Bristol..

Charleston..

Charleston, S. C
Boston.

Law.
Philos.

Law.

Law.
Philog.

Philos.

Names of students from the United States registered at the University of Halle previous to

Names of students from the United States registered at the Royal Friedrich Wilhelm University previous to the year 1850.

Names of students from the United States registered at the Royal Friedrich Wilhelm University previous to the year 1850-Continued.

Names of students from the United States registered in the University of Leipsic previous

What the two students at Leipsic studied is not given in the published list. The foregoing lists contain, no doubt, the names of nearly all American students who studied in German universities previous to 1850. It would be easy to identify, the majority of these men, but more difficult to estimate, even approximately, their great influence upon American scholarship and cultivation.

A LETTER FROM DR. HARRIS.

Dr. W. T. Harris, whose thorough acquaintance with German philosophy and literature is so well known, under date of March, 1889, furnished the following interesting memoranda relating to the introduction of German studies into the United States.

Without being able to answer according to the book, I make the following suggestion in answer to the note of inquiry that has been addressed to me:

Theodore Parker's article in The Dial for January, 1841, p. 315 of vol. 1 of that famous periodical, republished in Parker's Miscellanies, was a cause of very much study of German literature, and of my own study of it among the rest. It is a review of Menzel's work.

I think that Professor Stuart, of Andover, was the stimulant behind Theodore Parker. Then, of course, there was Carlyle, a great upheaving force towards the study of German literature and philosophy, and behind him Coleridge. There were the Coleridgians at the University of Vermont, who had great influence in New England.

The compiler wishes to express his obligations to Mr. C. C. Plehn and Mr. J. Q. Adams for furnishing him with the lists of American students printed above. Mr. Plehn furnished the Gottingen list, Mr. Adams the other lists.

The explanatory footnote to Parker's article, as it stands in his Miscellaneous Writings, is as follows: "Specimens of foreign standard literature, edited by George Ripley, vols. 7, 8, and 9, containing German litera ure. Translated from the German of Wolfgang Menzel, by C. C. Felton, in three volumes. Boston, 1843.