COLLEGE LIFE. 75 



and Petronius. It is the methockts vivendi of Grottingen not 

 to go out earlier in the day, for there is a great affectation of 

 industry here. 



' Spittler. I attend his lectures on modern history ; he 

 possesses a fine understanding, with a stately delivery which 

 passes with most people as the beau ideal of eloquence. It is 

 too bombastic for me. Nations are " rapid torrents," the royal 

 house of Prussia is " an ancient oak, under whose shadow a free 

 O-erman people delight to cast themselves." His mode of deli- 

 neating history and his grouping of events is most masterly. It 

 is much to be regretted that he does not take up the subject of 

 church history, for such a course of lectures from him would 

 be far more attractive than the disquisitions of Plank, who 

 has nevertheless won great esteem ^by the impartiality of his 

 views. 



' Kastner has unfortunately a very indistinct delivery, owing 

 to the loss of his teeth. He is very humorous, and is always say- 

 ing something witty ; but as he invariably laughs at his own 

 wit before he has well finished, the humour of it is not always 

 appreciated by his audience. He makes amends, however, to 

 those who laugh with him by being polite enough sometimes 

 to join in a laugh when nothing really witty has been said. 

 The great drawback to this academy is the small attention paid 

 to mathematics. Kastner is nevertheless the kindest and 

 most agreeable of men ; I see a great deal of him. He cannot 

 help being very sarcastic, for which he is afterwards so remorse- 

 ful that he invariably asks forgiveness. 



6 1 have also attended the lectures on moral philosophy given 

 by Less, and certainly never heard anything so miserable. In 

 character, speech, and mode of thought, Less reminds me 

 strongly of Fromm of Frankfort, though Fromm would be 

 thought in comparison really eloquent. On one occasion Less 

 enquired whether it was lawful for a Christian to put into the 

 " Lotto di Grenova," as he calls our lottery. Is not this lec- 

 turing on morals as a casuist ? It might as well be asked, 

 ought a Christian to play cards or chess ? . . . 



' The English princes are condemned to listen to this sort of 

 trash for a couple of hours every day, and the unfortunate 

 youths are obliged to write out eacli lecture an exercise which 



