THE BIRKBECK INSTITUTION. 235 



Reformation had gathered sufficient strength to put a 

 stop to such things, a number of honest people, differ- 

 ing in belief from a number of equally honest people 

 who possessed the will and power to murder them, were 

 here burnt to death, their calcined bones being thrown 

 into the brook. Hence the name Ketzerbach Here- 

 tics' Brook which survives to this hour. My lodging 

 was a very homely one two rooms at the top of the 

 house, one a study, the other a bedroom. I was imme- 

 diately visited by a personage who offered his services 

 as master of the robes. Bearing as he did a good char- 

 acter, he was at once engaged. This Stiefelwichser, 

 or boot-cleaner, whose name was Steinmetz, carried 

 with him besides his brushes a little cane about two 

 feet long, and his vocation was to enter the rooms of 

 the student early in the morning, gather up his clothes 

 and boots, retire to the landing, whence after a few 

 minutes' vigorous beating and brushing, he returned 

 with everything clean, neat, and presentable for the 

 day. 



My study was warmed by a large stove. At first I 

 missed the gleam and sparkle from flame and ember, 

 but soon became accustomed to the obscure heat. At 

 six in the morning a small milchbrod and a cup of tea 

 were brought to me. The dinner-hour was one, and for 

 the first year or so I dined at a hotel. In those days 

 living was cheap in Marburg. There was no railway to 

 transport local produce to a distance, and this rendered 

 it cheap at home. Our dinner consisted of several 

 courses, roast and boiled, and finished up with sweets 

 and dessert. The cost was a pound a month, or about 

 eightpence per dinner. You must not suppose that I 

 partook of all the courses. I usually limited myself 

 to one of them, using even it in moderation, being 



already convinced that eating too much was quite as 

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