JOHANNES MULLER 521 



perished had he not caught hold of a ship's ladder which was floating 

 by. For a long time he held on, and had nearly given up all hope 

 of assistance- when he was picked up by a boat from the other vessel. 

 His remaining companion, Dr. Schneider, saved himself in a similar 

 way. This event seems to have had a deep effect upon Miiller, and 

 although he still resorted to the seaside, ever afterwards he dreaded to 

 trust himself on shipboard. 



When, for a second time, Miiller was chosen director of the Berlin 

 Museum, it was certainly most unfortunate that his directorship fell 

 in that memorable year of the revolution, 1848. Although Miiller felt 

 himself to be truly German, he was apparently no more of a politician 

 than Goethe. He could experience no sympathy for the democratic 

 rashness which on all sides of him was now being manifested. It was 

 a time of civil commotion when political agitation distracted the whole 

 academic being, and both students and professors were deserting the 

 laboratory and lecture room to equip themselves as soldiers of the 

 revolution. Miiller, whose quick spirit had led him, in the olden days 

 of the Student Alliance, to take so active a part in the threatened 

 political eruption, had become a sober conservative. His situation was 

 now one of difficulty, and not without peril. He strove manfully to 

 maintain authority, and even those who took a different view of passing 

 events paid willing tribute to his honesty of purpose and to the per- 

 sonal courage he displayed in the most trying circumstances when 

 the university buildings had become the center of the intense revolu- 

 tionary movement. Miiller naturally feared the destruction of the 

 priceless treasures of his collection. Regarding the state of his mind 

 we can obtain some conception from the words of his distinguished 

 scholar, Rudolph Virchow, who upon Muller's own request became his 

 follower as professor of anatomy and physiology at Berlin University. 

 Regarding these days of the revolution, Virchow has written as follows : 



He trembled for the safety of the university, for whose treasures he felt 

 himself to be personally responsible. Day and night he remained at the museum, 

 ever on guard. He tore down agitating placards. He ventured with personal 

 danger among the students. On the day of the great citizens' parade, with his 

 own hand he seized away the black banner which was stretched across the bal- 

 cony of the university building. But the movement more and more escaped the 

 authority of the academic jurisdiction. In the teaching body of the university 

 grew the voicing of disharmony. The professors and the private lecturers made 

 diligent efforts to be heard and some of them (appointed as a committee, to 

 which I also belonged) argued the matter with the director and the senate in a 

 very unpleasant conversation. 



Thus it is apparent that Miiller was asked in the most kindly 

 spirit to give up, at least temporarily, the position as director; for 

 Virchow continues: 



Thus all agreed, in order to relieve the at least exposed position of the 

 director, to a painful duty; and it was an actual deliverance when, at the 

 closing of the university year, he could give into other hands the office which 

 he had taken upon himself. 



This was, perhaps, the most unfortunate directorship since the 



