237 



ON 



ACADEMIC FBEEDOM 



IX 



GEBMAN UNIVEESITIES. 



Inaugural Address as Rector of the Frederick William 

 University of Berlin. Delivered October 15, 1877. 



IN entering upon the honourable office to which the 

 confidence of my colleagues has called me, my first 

 duty is once more openly to express my thanks to 

 those who have thus honoured me by their confidence. 

 I have the more reason to appreciate it highly, as it 

 was conferred upon me, notwithstanding that I have 

 been but few years among you, and notwithstanding 

 that I belong to a branch of natural science which 

 has come within the circle of University instruction 

 in some sense as a foreign element ; which has necessi- 

 tated many changes in the old order of University 

 teaching, and which will, perhaps, necessitate other 

 changes. It is indeed just in that branch (Physics) 



