lo8 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



r. A. Wolf (1759-1824), who was the first to inscribe 

 himself as a student of philology, and who was also the 

 first to define philology as the Science of Antiquity. 

 Through him classical and archaeological studies were 

 transported from the University of Gottingen into the 

 Prussian state. Wolf's greatest activity, through which 

 he created an era in the historical and classical studies 

 of Germany, belonged to the years 1783-1806, at the 

 34. University of Halle. He explained his ideas on the 



Encyclo- "^ '■ 



ofp^Y'"^** encycloptedic treatment of the studies of antiquity in 

 ^°^ an essay (1807) which was dedicated to Goethe. He 



saw in the art and culture of the two classical 

 nations the grasp and firm hold which they had 

 attained of the highest aims of humanity, and in the 

 communication of this conception to the younger genera- 

 tion the means of elevating them above the narrow 

 arena of ordinary life and petty circumstance. Wolf 

 lived in intimate friendship with Goethe and Schiller 

 and inspired Wilhelm von Humboldt, through and in 

 whom the study of language and literature was brought 

 into immediate contact with the objects of government, 

 administration, and higher education. It was largely 

 through Wolf's influence that the idea of founding the 

 University of Berlin matured in the mind of his great 

 friend. When in the year 1806 the University of Halle 

 was closed owing to the ISTapoleonic occupation, the 

 plan of a University in Berlin was formed ; it offered 

 to Wolf as well as to many others among the greatest 

 teachers of Germany a new sphere of activity. As 

 Ritschl represents the highest development of that line 

 of activity and classical learning which was initiated 



