IV.

Bonn and its University

THE banks of the Rhine between Cologne and Bonn are

flat like those below. We therefore proceeded by the

railroad. At Bonn we put up at the Grand Hotel Royal, situated on the bank of the river, near the University, and overlooking the thickly wooded park which stretches in front of it. Our rooms commanded a view beyond the Rhine, up and down the river, and embraced the outline of the Siebengebirge-the seven mountains. It was a clear serene summer evening, and the temperature was delightful. Behind the hotel the grounds were tastefully laid out, and on the bank of the river seats were arranged for the guests. Here an admirable military band was performing delicious music. Travellers from all nations were collected, walking and chatting, or seated in groups; while here and there, some individual was lounging apart, quietly whiffing a cigar, resigned to pleasant

62

A SUMMER EVENING.

meditations, and indulging to the full the dolce far niente. Among the company there was a plentiful sprinkling of English. Of Americans, besides ourselves, there were two very agreeable southern gentlemen, who had been our companions from Cologne. Every one was in a good humor. We appeared like beings who had left all care behind, and were making a voyage into enchanted regions. Life now was a holiday. Whatever had been, whatever hereafter might be of toil and sorrow, was not remembered or apprehended. The present was to us a pleasure boat upon a summer sea. It was an episode of beauty and joy on the weary way of human life. We were strangers to each other, and we cared not to know each other's names and occupations. We were to each other not like creatures of the common earth, but mysterious beings dropped from kindly skies-angels meeting angels, exchanging smiles and pleasant words, and then passing on, each to his own happy purpose, each full of his own enjoyments. We were on the banks of the legendary Rhine, under the soft twilight of a midsummer evening, "lapped in Elysian airs,” and the morrow was full of promise. Is it not well thus sometimes to forget every thing but pleasure? Does not the breath of the beautiful recreate us, and renew our strength to return to the old reality of work?

In this happy mood we went to sleep. In the morning we arose to take a view of Bonn and its University. Bonn is not a large town; it contains only eighteen thousand inhabitants. But it is the more picturesque and agreeable in that it is not a large town. It leaves the hills and trees standing, and does not crowd upon the Rhine as if it were eager to

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63

drink up all the water. The Electors of Cologne once resided here. They removed their court from the dense noisy commercial city to this quiet town, reposing in the lap of nature. Here no restless improvements are going on; improvement seems to have been accomplished, and to be simply enjoyed. But, nevertheless, improvement is going on here, improvement that never can slumber or pause-the eternal improvement of mind. The palace of the Electors, a quarter of a mile in length, contains the University. Here are the lecture rooms, and the library of 150,000 volumes. It has at present forty professors, and one thousand and fifty students. It enjoys a high reputation. Niebuhr and A. W. Schlegel were professors here. The king of Prussia founded it in 1818, and bestowed upon it the palace of the Old Electors. The University, indeed, constitutes the importance of Bonn. The beauty of the situation, and the literary advantages make it a most desirable place of residence. I walked through the library in mute admiration. It is a noble collection of books. And yet this great and justly celebrated University has been established only thirty-four years. It is therefore a young institution. The idea that Universities must be of slow growth is not justified by the history of Prussia. The University of Berlin was established in 1810. In 1826, the number of matriculated students amounted to sixteen hundred and fortytwo, four hundred of whom were foreigners. And yet Prussia has several other flourishing Universities. The whole monarchy equals in square miles only some two of our states, and contains fifteen and a half millions of inhabitants. But Prussia is no less distinguished for common schools and seminaries

64 HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE.

of every grade. In 1835, there were 21,790 elementary schools, in which two millions of children of both sexes received instruction. About the same time there were one hundred and twenty-four gymnasia, where 24,641 scholars were educated. Let it be remembered that the gymnasia are superior to our colleges. There are many schools, too, in Prussia, specially adapted to mechanics and to various kinds of manufacture and business. Probably no country in the world has an educational system so comprehensive and thorough.

The Universities nourish and bring together men eminent for genius and learning. The kings of Prussia, from Frederick the Great down to the present time, have been the enlightened patrons of learning and learned men. At Berlin, in the immediate vicinity of the Court, are found such men as Humboldt, Savigny, Ranke, Raumer, Ehrenberg, Ritter, Grimm, and Schelling. Here, too, lived Schleiermacher and Neander.

And now this Prussia is an unlimited monarchy: these kings are despots. I have said, in a previous chapter, that despotic governments are beautiful in theory; and I there intimated quite plainly that I deem them such, generally, only in theory. But we must be just. In the educational system of Prussia we have something more than theory. Here is a glorious achievement of an enlightened and energetic despotism. I admit that there are many evils in Prussia, and that the kings are both unwise, and in the wrong, for not granting a constitutional government. But here is a sublime work which they have accomplished for

WHAT WE NEED.

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the public good. But, it may be asked, Do you allow this to be an argument in favor of unlimited monarchies? I answer that the government of Prussia is justly entitled to all the argument that can be made out of it. So far, the government may proudly say, Judge us by our fruits. And the only way in which we can nullify the force of the argument is by proving by our works that a republic, too, can create and foster the noblest institutions of learning, can patronize the arts and artists, and learning and learned men.

The immense and peculiar blessings which are enjoyed under a Republic are obvious to all; but it is required, too, that it should be favorable to the highest forms of culture. In order to prove that we are under the most elevated and the happiest conditions of human existence, it is not enough to show that men can be better fed and clothed here than in other lands, and that we enjoy the fairest opportunities for material accumulation; it must be shown, also, that we can develope the grandest forms of humanity itself. We cannot stand still; we must be advancing or deteriorating in national character: we cannot advance without culture; and we cannot have culture without great men as standards of excellence, and as lights to guide us. Now, we have not been without great men,—we have had our governing standards and our guiding lights,-whether in sufficient degree and number I shall not stop to inquire; but we have had them, and, perhaps, we have them now. that in a country so vast as ours, and with destinies so momentous at stake, we want more great men than any other people, for we have a greater work for them to do

But it is certain