548 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
and inclinations, agreed so well with the world-historic, all- 
powerful, intellectual movement of these times, that even men 
like Kant looked upon Basedow as akin to a prophet. The 
Duke of Dessau, in 1744, entrusted him with the erection of a 
school according to his system, the “ Philantropin;” and in many 
parts of Germany similar institutions were founded shortly 
afterwards, and flourished for a time. However, with a few 
exceptions, of which one, Salzmann’s Educational Institute, at 
Schnepfen, is still in existence, they disappeared before the end 
of last century. 
Many causes, of which the principal one is that the projectors 
attempted more than they could fulfil, combined to bring about 
this failure. Science had not yet reached such a prominent posi- 
tion in the life of the nation as it has acquired since, nor was it 
advanced enough to be taught in a popular manner, for in Base- 
dow’s time scientific teaching was mere play, and often consisted 
of mere conjuror’s tricks. Moreover, in the eagerness of the 
promoters for the health of the pupils, the latter were prevented 
from working as steadily as would have been necessary to make 
real advancement in their studies. At the same time the ex- 
treme advocates of the Philantropin in many instances, by 
despising the Bible and the writings of the ancients, dwarfed the 
ethical and moral feelings of the pupils and called forth strong 
and unrelenting opposition from the humanists and clergy. 
There is no doubt that the movement in some measure was pre- 
mature, dying soon, where it went to extremes, a natural death ; 
however it cannot be denied that it left some excellent results 
behind, from which the humanistic schools reaped great 
advantages. Amongst them should not be forgotten the pre- 
paration of better and more logical school books, the improve- 
ment of primary schools in German villages ; and, above all, the 
great regard shown for the physical development of the pupils, 
for well-aired school-rooms and large healthy play-grounds. 
Doubtless in view of the realistic requirements, the Gymnasiums 
(Grammar Schools) | gradually underwent considerable 
changes, principally in Berlin, Hamburgh, Frankfurt, and other 
large cities, where, though the old disciplines were not dispensed 
with, teaching by experiment and observation was added, and 
the pupil encouraged to advance by his own intellectual exer- 
tions. The splendid results obtained by German humanists in 
their researches amongst the Greek and Latin Classics, in Philo- 
sophy and the History of the Ancients (Alterthums-Wissen- 
schaft), the appearance at the same time of the greatest poets and 
writers Germany has ever produced, who in most instances took 
the poetical and prose works of the ancients for their models, 
wrought moreover a great change in the feelings of the public. 
Then came the French Revolution, with all its political and 
material misery, also deeply felt over Germany. And though 
this great movement laid the foundation of German unity and 
freedom, yet in the beginning of the present century realistic or 
philanthropic tendencies, as they were called then, were looked 
