PARENTAGE 3 



to its President, by whom the communication of the 3rd inst. 

 was issued. We are compelled to call your attention to this 

 carelessness on account of its consequences, and to recommend 

 you to observe the claims of propriety and duty/ 



Such reprimands, however, were quietly accepted by the 

 young Prussian official, in whom respect for authority was in- 

 born. He devoted himself whole-heartedly to his profession, 

 giving instruction in German and philosophy, translating and 

 interpreting Plato, The Odyssey, Ovid and Virgil with his pupils, 

 while for four years he was further responsible for the teaching 

 of mathematics and physics in the higher forms. Notwithstand- 

 ing this press of work he found time for painting (in which he 

 was self-taught), for philosophical study, and for the publica- 

 tion in the annual School Report of essays, such as ' The Early 

 Development of the Hellenes', 'Historical Problems of the 

 Coming Century ', and * The Arabs, as described in the 

 Hamaseh', the merits of which were recognized at a later 

 time by eminent authorities. Thanks to his wide literary 

 studies, he had acquired a considerable knowledge of 

 aesthetics ; his scientific interests were comprehensive ; and 

 he was a stimulating and capable teacher, with a pronounced 

 individuality as shown by the official report of the Head- 

 master, which emphasizes his admirable influence upon the 

 character and achievements of his pupils no less strongly 

 than it is attested by such of the latter as still survive. 



In the words spoken fifty years later at the Commemoration 

 Festival of the University of Berlin, by one who has earned 

 undying fame, 'the older among us can remember the men 

 of that period, who had been the foremost volunteers in our 

 army, who were always ready to plunge into a metaphysical 

 discussion, who were well read in the works of Germany's 

 great poets, who burned with wrath at the name of the First 

 Napoleon, and glowed with pride and inspiration in relating 

 the deeds of the war of liberation.' 



In respect of Latin, his profession seems to have been 

 merely the ' bread-study ' that he was wont to call it, but he 

 was an enthusiastic Hellenist, and had a great influence over 

 his pupils, endeavouring to give them a feeling for poetic 

 beauty, instead of merely providing them with grammatical 

 instruction. As a schoolboy he was unable to acquire the 



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