GUSTAV MAGNUS. 11 



science in this century, whilst they had taken so promi- 

 nent a part in its earlier development. I need only 

 name Copernicus, Kepler, Leibnitz, and Stahl. 



For we may indeed boast of our eager, fearless 

 and unselfish love of truth, which flinches before no 

 authority, and is stopped by no pretence ; shuns no 

 sacrifice and no labour, and is very modest in its claims 

 on worldly success. But even on this account she ever 

 impels us first of all to pursue the questions of prin- 

 ciple to their ultimate sources, and to trouble ourselves 

 but little about what has no connection with funda- 

 mental principles, and especially about practical con- 

 sequences and about useful applications. To this must 

 be added another reason, namely, that the independent 

 mental development of the last three hundred years, 

 began under political conditions which caused the 

 chief weight to fall on theological studies. Germany 

 has liberated Europe from the tyranny of the ancient 

 church ; but she has also paid a much dearer price for 

 this freedom than other nations. After the religious 

 wars, she remained devastated, impoverished, politi- 

 cally shattered, her boundaries spoiled, and arrogantly 

 handed over defenceless to her neighbours. To deduce 

 consequences from the new moral views, to prove them 

 scientifically, to work them out in all regions of intellec- 

 tual life, for all this there was no time during the storm 

 of war ; each man had to hold to his own party, every 



