THE PHRENOLOGIST. 53 



delivered the following prophecy, in a voice that vibrated through 

 every fibre of Ernest Kopfstirn's frame. 



" When the Dwarf of Der Alte-Konig shall have been a student at 

 Gottingen, an infant science shall spread abroad its branches, and 

 flourish through the earth." 



A wild cry of joy burst from the deepest recess of Ernest's heart, 

 which made every eye turn to the spot where he stood. A commo- 

 tion arose, the light vanished ; fear and trembling came over him, 

 and he saw nothing more of this superhuman assembly, but found 

 himself, he was ignorant how, in the same place where he had first 

 heard the voice from the ruins. 



There is a tradition current in Germany, that at the castle of Der 

 Alte-Konig, on every successive May-day, the Devil holds a convoca- 

 tion of all the witches and wizards in the German empire ; that he 

 inquires how they had performed their several parts since the last 

 meeting, and concludes his catechizing, by giving them a splendid 

 entertainment. Though Ernest Kopfstirn retained the firm convic- 

 tion he had been bodily present at one of these convocations, as just 

 related, yet many shook their wise heads and avouched that he 

 merely fell asleep among the old ruins. This may be the most 

 rational way of accounting for it, but assuredly not the most German. 



Whether Ernest Kopfstirn dreamed the scene I have described, or 

 not, I leave the learned to decide. Be the decision as it may, his 

 future life was materially influenced by the occurrence ; for, within 

 a few days, he left the home of his friends and journeyed on foot to 

 Gottingen, where, adventureless, he arrived, elate with hopes, glo- 

 rious hopes of future celebrity. 



Here he studied hard, possibly stimulated by his adventure at 

 Cronenburg, and acquired a very creditable share of learning. He 

 applied, nor went application unrewarded. The mine was opened ; 

 he saw the glittering and precious ore, and he laboured incessantly 

 to make it his. When, therefore, he received his degree, it was not 

 bestowed on ignorance, to the prejudice of the profession. His 

 labours were not, however, confined wholly to the useful. He was 

 an enthusiast ; everything breathes enthusiasm at a German Univer- 

 sity, and dearly did he love the abstruce and the fanciful. At one 

 time he devoted himself to certain wild theories, bearing on the state 

 of his native country ; a subject started and pursued with mad eager- 

 ness by German students in general, while at another time he was 

 involved in the entangled meshes of the alchymical web. Yet, al- 

 though the words of the prophecy frequently recurred to his me- 

 mory, he could not persuade himself that alchymy was the infant 

 science alluded to. At length, felicitous thought! phrenology 

 presented itself to his mind ; and, with the enthusiast's quickness, 

 he decided that, therein he should rise pre-eminent, therein " live a 

 life in others breath/' according to one of the definitions of fame. 



Eternity of fame is an alluring bait, and the incipient Phrenologist 

 redoubled his exertions. Bumps and organs, and their develope- 

 ment, were his study by day, and his vision by night. Henceforth, 

 nor bird, nor beast, nor mortal, ever came in his way that escaped his 

 scrutiny. His whole energies were directed toward this single pur- 

 suit, and, in process of time, he shone forth a most remarkable speci- 



