xxx PREFACE. 



fill extravagances which were to be found in those 

 works the ground of a serious accusation. And what 

 farther mischief have these extravagances done, though 

 I now sincerely lament them ? 



Faithful to the glorious traditions of a past extend- 

 ing over three centuries, the little Thuringiau uni- 

 versity of Jena will find a way to preserve her perfect 

 and unlimited freedom. She will ever bear in mind 

 that she is the first Protestant university of Germany, 

 protesting against every strait-waistcoat which hier- 

 archical obstinacy would force upon human reason, 

 against every dogma by which the arrogance of the 

 learned may try to suppress all freedom of teaching. 

 She will freely seek and freely teach in accordance with 

 her highest convictions, untroubled by the fact that in 

 the " great " university of Berlin nothing may be taught, 

 as Virchow insists, but what is objectively ascertained, 

 absolutely sure ; that is to say, nothing that rises above 

 individual, indubitable, and intelligible facts ; not an 

 idea, not a conception, not a theory, in fact not any 

 real science ; mathematics, at most, excepted. It is 

 our conviction that Jena will continue to be an 

 independent city of refuge for free science and free 

 teaching as long as it remains under the faithful 

 nurture and liberal protection of the princely house of 

 Sax Weimar, that enlightened race which is linked 

 with the history of German intellect through the 



