PROF. PETER ENGELM/NN". 259 



religious faith, that he felt constrained lo give up the plan of becoming a pastor; the 

 criiical bias of liis intellect constantly prompting him to question tlieologiansand de- 

 man 1 explanation of the contradictions in their teacliings, until finally the old mys- 

 tic creed of liis fathers, lost every title of its influence and authority, and he ceased 

 then, and forever after, to be swayed by its absurd hopes or childish fears. 



After studying at Kreuznach for the faur years necessary to go through the Secunda 

 and Prima, he passed a successful examination in 1842. The study of liistory and 

 the natural sciences only served to strengthen his convictions, and, ever frank and 

 outspoken, he found himself in antagonism to his bounil-to-bc-pious teachers. They 

 could not, however, help giving him in his certificate the must excellent notes in re- 

 gard to diligence, progress, moral character and good nature. The theologian, in- 

 serted the admonition that " he must not forget that nature and her laws are not 

 higlier than their Creator." 



He went away to the Universities. Of his life there I know little. He joined a 

 secret I'cvolutionary society; but neither revolutionary zeal nor the temptations of 

 student life diverted him from his work. There is evidence that his course was 

 maiked by the .=ame good conduct and steadfist industry; for there, as at Kreuznach 

 he was the object of high praise. The certificate given him at Berlin where he 

 studied three years, after one year at Pleidelberg, contains twenty notes from various 

 professors, among them Encke, Poggendorf, Dove, Ehrenberg, and Dirichlet, all 

 unanimous in commendation. 



On leaving the University there were two courses open to him. One v/as to choose 

 Astronomy as his calling, which he had studied theoretically and practically under 

 Encke, but this he had not the means to pursue without aid, and he would not as 

 lie wrote in his journal " beg protection." The other was to become a teacher at 

 some gymnasium. He decided to apply for a State teacher's examination and passed 

 successfully, though he looked forward to it with apprehension, several of hisfiiends 

 having failed but a short time previously. The theologian among the examiners, to 

 whom he frankly confessed his unbelief, while giving him credit for liis knowledge, 

 decided that " he could not teach religion because he did not accept the bible as the 

 source of truth. Koyal commissioners in Prussia are very anxious to see that the 

 youth are not misled by unbelieving teachers. Fortunately the re^u'.t depen led, 

 not upon the theologian, Mr. Teressen, but mainly upon Schellbacli, Rose, and Ehren- 

 berg, and so he was granted the " facultus docenti." 



He then went to the Kreuznach Gymnasium, where he taught for a year and a half 

 with marked success. Here again his frankness stood in the way of his preferment 

 — his outspoken declarations for republicanism preventing him from being regularly 

 installed as a teacher. 



When in P'ebruary 1848 the revolntion broke out in France, he hailed it with en- 

 thusiasm, and with all the fervent zeal and energy of his nature agitaied for the re- 

 publican idea among the people of Kreuznach. Jointly with .some friends he found- 

 ed a Tnrn-verein (gymnastic society) and a Buergeu-verein (citizens' society) Hud 

 wrought a radical change in the public opinion. He was given to understan I that 

 if he would -'hush" he should have a desirable situation, and the Chief Director of 

 Education of the Ehenish Proviiccs summoned him to an iiiterview and advised 

 Lim to desist. His answer was an increased revolutionary activity. "With a few 



