PRUSSIA. 





Religion. 



These cities (20 in number) are the most popu- 

 lous; but there are altogether 26, which contain severally 

 10,000 inhabitants or upwards ; 136 which have more 

 than S500, and less than 1000; 194- that amount to 

 more than 2000, and less than 3500 ; 665 which con- 

 tain less than 2000 : making altogether the number of 

 inhabitants in the cities to amount to 2,895,8.32. 



Before the recent acquisitions, the Roman Catholic 

 was the predominant religion ; to which, however, 

 scarcely a third of the inhabitants now belong. Cal- 

 vinism and Lutherunism, the two chief divisions of 

 the protestant faith, include about six millions and a 

 half. The Mennonites, a species of anabaptists, 

 amount to about 15,000; and 130,000 are Jews. 

 There are also a few Moravian brethren, Unitarians, 

 and members of the Greek church. Universal toleration 

 is established on the most liberal and just principles : 

 the different sects are equally under the protection of 

 the government ; and members of every denomina- 

 tion are alike eligible to every civil, judicial, and mili- 

 tary office. In 1817. the three hundredth anniversary 

 of the Reformation, the Lutherans and Calvinists agreed 

 to lay aside their characteristic distinctions, and to 

 unite themselves into one body, under the appellation 

 of the Evangelical Confessions; a union that is high- 

 ly commendable, and which promises to be attended 

 with the most beneficial effects ; and in religious mat- 

 ters there is probably no country in the world more 

 distinguished than Prussia for Christian harmony, li- 

 berality, and benevolence. 



Literature, The liberality thus shown in religious matters, in- 

 and literary dicates no small degree of refinement and intelligence 



matiti*- .. i . ,. i i T-fc 



to exist in the country where it is exhibited. Prussia, 

 accordingly, in point of literature and tne diffusion of 

 liberal knowledge, is probably inferior to no country 

 in Europe, hardly even excepting England and France. 

 In this respect, however, it must be confessed, it has at- 

 tained to different degrees of eminence in the different 

 provinces : those districts where the majority of the 

 inhabitants are of the Catholic faith, are the most defi- 

 cient; but, taking the whole Prussian dominions toge- 

 ther, the remark made above is perfectly applicable. 

 And the remark has been applicable to Prussia in a 



institu- 

 tions. 



lensc more or lei* limited fur centuries. The preat 

 M U?2, was a nai 



ographcr, and tl, 

 Sc.iligcr, was born i. 

 nionly ca i. montanux, fro: 



of Konigburg) holds n high rank among the astrono- 

 mer* of tlx 1 5lh and \C'\\i centuries. ' \Voltf, a man of 

 .lied science, learning, and philosophy, was born 



lau in 1 ohn, a Jew, was one of 



!' the religious principles and views 



brethren that have yet appeared, and in general 

 polemical divinity iu superiors. WenuyaU" 



mention Kam!er,the poet; N'ic-olai.a writer of romance*; 

 ;:!g, t!ie geographer ; SpaKling, Klapruth, Ilun;- 

 boldt, v r must the name of Frederick the- ' 



King of Prussia, be omitted ; a prince who, though 

 distinguished .statesmen and generals of 

 his day, is probably more frequently quoted and ypokeu 

 of as an author and as a patron of literature, than in 

 any other capacity. During his long reign, he r. 

 ly cultivated literature himself, but exerted himtelf in 

 promoting the advancement of it among all ranks in 

 his dominions. He established schools in the various 

 parts of the kingdom. Before his time, indeed, schools 

 were pretty general, but the subsistence gained by the 

 teachers was at best but small, and in most cases pre- 

 carious, so that some other profession was generally 

 found combined with that of instructor. " This was 

 especially the case," says Mr. Adam, " in Upper Si- 

 lesia. Frederick therefore issued an ordinance, that a 

 school should be kept in every village, and that a com- 

 petent subsistence should be provided for the school- 

 master by the joint contributions of the lord of the vil- 

 lage, and of the tenants themselves." Seminaries were 

 instituted (at the head of which was Felbiger, an Au- 

 gustine monk,) for the proper instruction and discip- 

 line of those who were to become teachers. With 

 each of these seminaries are connected schools, wher 

 the young candidates for the profession of a teacher are 

 obliged to attend to learn the practice of the method, the 

 theory of which they had previously obtained at these 

 seminaries themselves. No young man can be admit- 

 ted to teach without a recommendation of his fitness 

 for the office from one of these seminaries. " The 

 school-tax," continues Mr. Adam, " must be paid by 

 the lord and tenants without distinction of relijrion. 

 The boys must all be sent to school from their sixth to 

 their thirteenth year, whether the parents are able to 

 pay the school tax or not. For the -poor, the school 

 money must be raised by collections. Every parent or 

 guardian, who neglects to send his child or pupil to 

 school, without sufficient cause, is obliged to pay a 

 double school tax, for which the guardian shall have 

 no allowance. Every curate must examine weekly the 

 children of the school in his parish." A general exa- 

 mination takes place annually ; and a report on the 

 condition of the schools, on the talents and success of 

 the teachers, on the state of the buildings, and the at- 

 tendance of the children, is transmitted to government. 

 This is probably the most enlightened and effective 

 system of national education to be found in Europe. 

 In addition to these village seminaries, there is what 

 are called burgher schools ; ^|d larger institutions still, 

 termed gymnasiums, similar to the great schools or 

 colleges of Eton and Winchester in England. The 

 number of gymnasiums are 105, each containing from 

 four to twelve masters, and the pupils are divided into 

 five or six classes, and are taught the classics, mathe- 

 matics, the modern languages, drawing, and similar 



