Worn fairly out with song, with drinking and with noise,Go reeling now along, those three wild roaring boys.Mid shattered pipes and glass, their staggering way they strive,Till in the distant market, by lamplight they arrive.As other men awake, to bed they take their flight,And bellow to each other--"Sir Brother, a good-night!"
Worn fairly out with song, with drinking and with noise,Go reeling now along, those three wild roaring boys.Mid shattered pipes and glass, their staggering way they strive,Till in the distant market, by lamplight they arrive.As other men awake, to bed they take their flight,And bellow to each other--"Sir Brother, a good-night!"
Bumpers in oar left-hands draining,We will drink thy long maintaining,Ancient, jovial Burschendom!Swords in our right hands extending,We will fight for thy defending,Free and gallant Burschendom!Hauff.
Bumpers in oar left-hands draining,
We will drink thy long maintaining,
Ancient, jovial Burschendom!
Swords in our right hands extending,
We will fight for thy defending,
Free and gallant Burschendom!
Hauff.
These lines of Hauff's, who himself enjoyed in Tübingen the pleasures of the Burschendom with a fresh spirit, express the sentiments which altogether in the life of the student, but especially in its most beautiful feast, the Commers, are felt and abound. We have described the General Commers; and we have now to make our readers acquainted with the so-called Special Commers, that which each individual corps celebrates at the commencement and conclusion of each Semester. These Commerses are seldom held in the city. We see a jocund train issuing forth from one of the city gates. A troop goes before on horseback, who, in earlier times, were still more distinguished by their peculiar style, but who still may sometimes be seen in full costume, that is, in buckskins and huge jack-boots, Polonaise frocks; on their heads, their Cerevis caps; over their breasts, wearing the broad Chore-band, while they carry in their right hands their naked swords. The rest follow them in carriages drawn by two or four horses; or the Senior precedes in a four or six-horse equipage, and the rest follow in two-horse ones. In their customary negligent student-dress, they lounge at their ease in their carriages, smoking their long pipes. The Foxes show themselves especially consequential, since it is the first time that they have been privileged to present themselves to the eyes of the astonished world in such a public procession. The Pawk-doctor is always invited to this festivity, and frequently honours the Chore with his presence; but the Red Fisherman is an invariable attendant, arrayed in the oddest style, as the black frock-coat, and his other habiliments, by no means correspond with the open breast and outlying shirt. He is generally posted as servant behind the last carriage.
If now the reader were, on such a day, already at Neckarsteinach, so might he, from the little pavilion in the garden of the Gasthouse[42]of the Harp, right commodiously observe the approach of such a train, as it emerges from one of the windings of the road which follows the serpentine course of the Neckar, and permits him even from afar to see the flashing of the drawn swords, and the shimmering of the coloured caps and Chore-bands. Or he sees the new guests approaching in a barge which they have mounted at Neckargemünd, where they have left their horses and carriages. The barge is hung with garlands and festoons, pennons stream from the masts; the sons of the Muses, in their many-coloured costume, are picturesquely grouped, and some of them are singing in the overflowing of their spirits to the sound of the jocund music.
The inhabitants see gladly these guests arrive in the place; as the Burschen, on one such day, make a greater expenditure, or in common parlance, moult more feathers than as many honourable inhabitants of the little town do in a whole year. On this account, their approach is first announced to the spectator in the garden of the Harp, by the firing of small cannon, which are planted for the purpose of doing all possible honour to these high guests, on the Dielsberg, a town opposite, situated on a lofty conical hill, where the earliest view of the approaching train is obtained, and by others fired from one of the old castles of Neckarsteinach. The garden of the inn now speedily swarms with the jovial Burschen, who here play off all sorts of pranks and whims.
But within, the whole house is in the most universal bustle. House-servants and waiters run to and fro; in the kitchen all the hands of the cooks are in active agitation, in order to fulfil the command of the landlady. There will sit a sleepy maid nodding in a chair, since for two days, that is, since the Commers was announced to them, there has been no sleep in the eyes of any of the ministering spirits; but she is quickly roused up with a vengeance in order to assist in the general activity. All, however, is still and solitary in the yard; for the poor feather-cattle have been compelled to yield up their young lives in order to parade on the table of these honoured and swarming guests. Above, in the great hall, is a long table covered. Every window is adorned with green and flowery garlands and festoons, and at that end of the hall where the seat of honour is placed, there is emblazoned on the wall the great and painted coat-of-arms of the Verbindung, embellished with flowers and ribands. The musicians now take their places in the orchestra above; the sons of the Muses appear in the hall, and the feast is opened. After the cloth is drawn the proceedings at table are such as we have described in the General Commers, except that, at this Commers, no beer is drunk, but wine only; and you may soon hear the report of outflying Champagne corks, as the toasts of the Chore are given, or those upon and connected with the Land Prince, when the Commers is celebrated on his birthday.
In the so-called Foundation Commers, it is customary for the Senior, to deliver a short speech, in which he takes a review of the fortunes of the Verbindung, or Chore, from its establishment, and particularly mentions the names of those who have belonged to it, and are now gone forth from it into busy life.
As they do not return from such a Commers, at the earliest, till the noon or the evening of the next day, all kind of follies and madcap playfulness are resorted to, to make the time pass merrily. Amongst these may be classed the "Lord of Fools." A great throne is built up of tables and chairs, upon which one of the students is placed. He is equipped as a king, with his crown, sceptre, and other insignia. The others are his devoted subjects, who bring him a great humper, or large glass, such as every Chore possesses. The Prince of Fools now sings:--
As they sing this, he empties his humper.
He now descends from the throne, and the next takes his place, till it has thus gone the whole round.
The convivial meeting sits till late in the night; and the next day they amuse themselves with all kinds of frolics and merriments, in which the Red Fisherman often becomes the butt of no gentle jokes. They sometimes make processions through the village at the head of which one of them rides on the back of the Red Fisherman, or on an ass. They climb the neighbouring ruined castles, which are perched on the mountains, and let their songs thence resound over the country.
These gambols and outbreaks of youthful spirits, full of life, strength, and enjoyment, and which thus are ready to overleap all bounds in the excitement of leaving behind for a day or so all study, and giving themselves up in fine weather, and beautiful scenery, to the full swing of their fancies and feelings, especially such a troop of youngsters being together, have always characterized the students. An old popular ballad describes their pranks in these rural Commerses, as far back as 1650; probably then a little more freely indulged in than at present.
WAYS OF THE STUDENTS.Queer chaps are these students, say folks every where,Although you should have them but once in the year;They make in the village such riot and reek,There's nought else left for us but plague for a week.Now must we be caring for St. Mary's day,And every one is wishing that Galli come may;Then come they with swords and fowling-pieces too,And make in the village a horrid to-do.There's nothing then in safety; no pigeon, no hen,As though they were made but for plunder of men;No goose dare even venture out into the meadow,These gents with their swords would soon whip off its head oh.Are gardens with boards and bars all fenced too?They burst them asunder that the sun doth shine through;In clambering for apples the trees too they break,'Tis well if each home but a pocketful take.With fire and with powder we're in constant fears,That e'en our small house be burnt over our ears;Their crackers they let on our roofs hop and bound,And a devil cares not though they burn to the ground.Has one a good dog by his house-door to stay,And that from his chain could not break away,Straight let they him loose, when, troth 'twere no need,Potz hagel! they've shot, and the poodle is dead!Students 'ith Wirthshouse, are jolly and able.For all that they need is a great mighty table;They drink and they shout, as the house theirs had been:They drink and they cry till they're sky-blue and green.Now they talk Lapodeinish![43]I know not what 'tis;But one knows very well, it is we that they quiz--Now they dance in the market, they leap and they play,And take from the hinds their own dance-place away.Then turn the men-servants, and cudgel them out,Till like mice they are running the streets all about;They gather to battle in furious throngs,And smite, lunge, and cry with right deafening lungs.Then they're off through the fields with their play to undo them,'Tis just as if thunder should tear its way through them,They tread down the corn-field, they don't understand,What 'tis to eat black bread raised by their own hand.Is a horse in the meadow, his strength to recruit?The students soon seize on the poor weary brute,They're up, and their heels in his sides go ding-dong,Ah! might he, at least, but go slowly along!
Queer chaps are these students, say folks every where,
Although you should have them but once in the year;
They make in the village such riot and reek,
There's nought else left for us but plague for a week.
Now must we be caring for St. Mary's day,
And every one is wishing that Galli come may;
Then come they with swords and fowling-pieces too,
And make in the village a horrid to-do.
There's nothing then in safety; no pigeon, no hen,
As though they were made but for plunder of men;
No goose dare even venture out into the meadow,
These gents with their swords would soon whip off its head oh.
Are gardens with boards and bars all fenced too?
They burst them asunder that the sun doth shine through;
In clambering for apples the trees too they break,
'Tis well if each home but a pocketful take.
With fire and with powder we're in constant fears,
That e'en our small house be burnt over our ears;
Their crackers they let on our roofs hop and bound,
And a devil cares not though they burn to the ground.
Has one a good dog by his house-door to stay,
And that from his chain could not break away,
Straight let they him loose, when, troth 'twere no need,
Potz hagel! they've shot, and the poodle is dead!
Students 'ith Wirthshouse, are jolly and able.
For all that they need is a great mighty table;
They drink and they shout, as the house theirs had been:
They drink and they cry till they're sky-blue and green.
Now they talk Lapodeinish![43]I know not what 'tis;
But one knows very well, it is we that they quiz--
Now they dance in the market, they leap and they play,
And take from the hinds their own dance-place away.
Then turn the men-servants, and cudgel them out,
Till like mice they are running the streets all about;
They gather to battle in furious throngs,
And smite, lunge, and cry with right deafening lungs.
Then they're off through the fields with their play to undo them,
'Tis just as if thunder should tear its way through them,
They tread down the corn-field, they don't understand,
What 'tis to eat black bread raised by their own hand.
Is a horse in the meadow, his strength to recruit?
The students soon seize on the poor weary brute,
They're up, and their heels in his sides go ding-dong,
Ah! might he, at least, but go slowly along!
Two centuries have produced a proportionate improvement in the students; though as full of fun as ever, the country people have nothing like the wanton mischief here recorded to fear from them.
The Commers then, being brought to a close, they generally return by boat to the city of the Muses. If this is in the evening, the barge is illuminated, and when they approach the city, fireworks are played off. As they land they proceed to their Kneip, and there wind up the feast. On the arrangements of a Kneip, nothing further is necessary to be said, as we, in becoming acquainted with the Beer-tablet, beheld the only particular in which it differs from other drinking-places; but, in speaking of the different drinks that are consumed in a Kneiping, we must not forget the Crambambuli. In order to prepare this liquor, an earthenware dish is used, into which a sufficient quantity of sugar is poured, and it is then filled up with rum. It is then set fire to; and the company, who sit round the flaming dish, sing--
THE CRAMBAMBULI SONG.Crambambuli, this is the titleOf that good drink we love the best,It is the means of proof most vital,When evil fortunes us molest.In evening late, in morning free,I drink my glass Crambambuli.Have I into the inn ascended,Most like some noble cavalier?I leave the bread and roast untended,And bid them bring the corkscrew here.Then blows the coachman--trantanti--Unto a glass Crambambuli.Are head and stomach both distracted;For eating have I little zest;A plaguy cold have I contracted;Have I catarrh within my chest?What need the doctor trouble me,I drink my glass Crambambuli!Were I a prince of power unbounded,Like Kaiser Maximilian,For me were there an order founded,'Tis this device I'd hang thereon:--Toujours fidele, et sans souci,C'est l'ordre du Crambambuli!Comes there no bill my needs to better?Have I at play my money lost?My maiden, writes she not a letter!Come grievous tidings by the post?Then drink I, from anxiety,A brimming glass Crambambulli.Ah! if the dear old folks but knew it,How we young Gents, their sons, were stead,How we must pinch and sorely rue it,They'd weep till their old eyes were red.Whilst make themselves the FiliiSo bene by Crambambuli.And has the Bursch his cash expended?To sponge the Philistine's his plan.And thinks it folly all extended,From Burschen unto Beggarman.Since this is the philosophyIn spirit of Crambambulli.Shall I for fame and freedom stand then;For Burschen weal the sword lift free?Quick blinks the steel in my right hand then,A friend will stand and second me.To him I say, Mon cher ami,Before a glass Crambambuli.It grieves me sore, ye foolish-hearted,That ye love not, and drink not wine;To asses are ye now converted,And might be angels all divine.Drink water like the cattle free,And think it is Crambambuli.Crambambuli, it still shall cheer me,When every other joy is past,When o'er the glass Friend Death draws near me,And mars my pleasure at the last.I'll drink with him in companiéThe last glass of Crambambulli.Then who 'gainst us, Crambambulisten,His spiteful mouth with envy screws,We hold him for no kind of Christian,Since he God's blessings doth abuse.I'd give him, though for life cried he,No single drop Crambambuli.
Crambambuli, this is the title
Of that good drink we love the best,
It is the means of proof most vital,
When evil fortunes us molest.
In evening late, in morning free,
I drink my glass Crambambuli.
Have I into the inn ascended,
Most like some noble cavalier?
I leave the bread and roast untended,
And bid them bring the corkscrew here.
Then blows the coachman--trantanti--
Unto a glass Crambambuli.
Are head and stomach both distracted;
For eating have I little zest;
A plaguy cold have I contracted;
Have I catarrh within my chest?
What need the doctor trouble me,
I drink my glass Crambambuli!
Were I a prince of power unbounded,
Like Kaiser Maximilian,
For me were there an order founded,
'Tis this device I'd hang thereon:--
Toujours fidele, et sans souci,
C'est l'ordre du Crambambuli!
Comes there no bill my needs to better?
Have I at play my money lost?
My maiden, writes she not a letter!
Come grievous tidings by the post?
Then drink I, from anxiety,
A brimming glass Crambambulli.
Ah! if the dear old folks but knew it,
How we young Gents, their sons, were stead,
How we must pinch and sorely rue it,
They'd weep till their old eyes were red.
Whilst make themselves the Filii
So bene by Crambambuli.
And has the Bursch his cash expended?
To sponge the Philistine's his plan.
And thinks it folly all extended,
From Burschen unto Beggarman.
Since this is the philosophy
In spirit of Crambambulli.
Shall I for fame and freedom stand then;
For Burschen weal the sword lift free?
Quick blinks the steel in my right hand then,
A friend will stand and second me.
To him I say, Mon cher ami,
Before a glass Crambambuli.
It grieves me sore, ye foolish-hearted,
That ye love not, and drink not wine;
To asses are ye now converted,
And might be angels all divine.
Drink water like the cattle free,
And think it is Crambambuli.
Crambambuli, it still shall cheer me,
When every other joy is past,
When o'er the glass Friend Death draws near me,
And mars my pleasure at the last.
I'll drink with him in companié
The last glass of Crambambulli.
Then who 'gainst us, Crambambulisten,
His spiteful mouth with envy screws,
We hold him for no kind of Christian,
Since he God's blessings doth abuse.
I'd give him, though for life cried he,
No single drop Crambambuli.
During the singing the rum has burnt out, and the beverage, of a syrupy consistence, is ladled into the glasses. At eleven o'clock at night, which is the hour of the police, the kneips are closed. For some years it has been the practice in Heidelberg that a bell should be rung at this hour, which should be the signal for all landlords to close their houses. At first this order received much opposition from the students, and they endeavoured to make it ridiculous. As the order was, that at eleven the bells should be rung, on its first appearance in the Heidelberg wochenblatt (newspaper), at this hour all the dogs of the students ran about the city with bells hung to their necks, and their masters, to fulfil the order to the letter, began, to the terror and amaze of the inhabitants, to set all the bells of the private houses in full swing.
The year's last hour retreating,Peals out with solemn sound;Drink brothers! your last greeting,And wish him blessings round.'Tis gone! with gray years blended,That are for ever ended.It brought much gladness, many woes,And leaves us nearer to our close.Voss.
The year's last hour retreating,
Peals out with solemn sound;
Drink brothers! your last greeting,
And wish him blessings round.
'Tis gone! with gray years blended,
That are for ever ended.
It brought much gladness, many woes,
And leaves us nearer to our close.
Voss.
The last evening of the year had arrived. It found the two friends Hoffmann and Freisleben in the room of the latter, where the friends were accustomed gladly to assemble. "Shall I light the lamp?" asked Freisleben. "No! let us sit in the dark. When the eye does not distract itself with outward objects, it then turns with delight to those images which memory brings before the mind." So the two sate; and they thought over all which this year had given and taken away; on all, after which they had striven, and which they had achieved; and on much, after which they had desired to strive and accomplish. Each was lost in this internal review, and the silence was only broken by one of the friends being so powerfully seized with the recollection of the past, that he must communicate his feeling to the other. "So then," said Freisleben, "another year of this beautiful university life is over! and when I call to mind that this year is a quarter, or a fifth of the whole, the words of a German writer are irresistibly forced upon me:--'The world may easily roll on, as it has hitherto done, yet for a million years; and in that period, five thousand years would be exactly proportionate to a quarter of a year in the life of a man of fifty,--scarcely a twelfth of our university life!' What have I done in the last quarter of a year? Eaten, drunken, electrified, made a calendar, laughed over the tricks of a kitten, and so are five thousand years of this little world run out, in which I move!"
Hoffmann.--Away with this calculation! To embellish the life of our friends, and to enjoy ourselves that life cheerily, that is the business of existence.
Freisleben.--The time spent at the university is certainly the most lovely time of our life; but even in that I am amazed to-day how one can be so merry, when one recollects how much more of unpleasant than pleasant the year has brought.
Hoffmann.--There I differ. Past pain is pleasant in memory, and past pleasure is pleasure both future and present Thus, it is only present and future pain that troubles us; a strong presumption of a sensible preponderance of enjoyment in the world, which is augmented by this circumstance, that we are constantly endeavouring to create enjoyment, whose fruition we can, in many cases, foretell with tolerable certainty, while, on the contrary, future pain can be much seldomer prognosticated exactly.
"Yes, to be sure! That is now clear, and I understand it," said Von Kronen, who had caught the end of this demonstration, "but that on which I have been reflecting is not yet clear to me. Perhaps you gentlemen who to-day are in so philosophical a mood can enlighten me upon it."
Freisleben.--What will come of it then?
Von Kronen.--The phenomenon is one of the most mysterious in nature. Yet--
Hoffmann.--Only out with it!
Von Kronen.--Tell me then how it comes to pass that cats have holes in their skins exactly where their eyes are?
Hoffmann.--Thou whimsical herring!
Von Kronen.--Without a joke, this is one of the three riddles that I will lay before you. If you can solve them, you shall smoke the whole evening genuine Havanna cigars, that I have received from Hamburgh as a Christmas present.
Freisleben.--That's worth something!
Hoffmann.--Samiel, help!
Von Kronen.--The first you have; so solve it.
Freisleben.--I will explain it to thee. The nose has here stretched the skin too much outwards, so that it has cracked it on both sides, exactly where the eyes are.
Von Kronen.--Well hit! Now for the second. Why do the hares sleep with open eyes?
Hoffmann.--Because their skin is too short to permit them to shut their eyes.
Von Kronen.--Bravo! Now the third. Where go the cats when they are three years old?
Hoffmann.--With thy confounded cats! If the talk was of foxes, or of some other reasonable cattle?
Von Kronen.--Yes! dear Lord Abbot[44]put it together, or I must pronounce sentence of asses on you.
Hoffmann.--Stop! I have it. They go into their fourth year!
Von Kronen:--
O damsel! O damsel! O damsel! now marry I thee,Now marry I thee!
O damsel! O damsel! O damsel! now marry I thee,
Now marry I thee!
Mr. Travellerenters.--How are you, gentlemen? What an Egyptian darkness there is in the streets! It was all I could do to find the house.
Hoffmann.--There is moonshine in the calendar to-day.
Freisleben.--The police regulations in our city are very much like the clapper-mills in the cherry-trees. They stand still when the rattle is most needed, and make a terrible larum when, on account of the high wind, the sparrows don't come.
Von Kronen.--Tell me, Hoffmann, can a man blush red in the dark?
Hoffmann.--Another hard question! That a man may become pale with fear in the dark, I can believe; but blush red scarcely, since a man may be pale of himself, but blush only on account of himself and another.
Von Kronen.--Ay, that is true; but the question whether ladies can become red in the dark is a very difficult question; at least, one that cannot be settled in the light.
Freisleben.--Ask the magistrate why he does not light the streets better; that would be much more serviceable than these subtleties.
Von Kronen.--Dear Freisleben, in a country where the eyes of people who are in love shine in the dark, there is no need of lanterns.
Freisleben.--For thy satirical impertinence thou shalt go into the streets with me, on a voyage of discovery after some red wine. We will make booty of some bottles in one of the kneips, and then manufacture some glee-wine. It will relish with the cigars.
Mr. Traveller.--Capital! Hoffmann! let us hasten out too. We will buy sugar and spices.
Hoffmann.--Good! So every one makes himself a useful member of society.
In a short time all were again assembled; the table was moved forward to the stove. A light odour of cigars filled the room, and the wine, which was played around by the flames in the little coffee-kettle, began to sing. The cloves were now thrown in, the guests each took sugar, and Freisleben filled the glasses. Hoffmann had brought a guitar with him, and accompanied on it the following song:--
Down, down with the sorrowsAnd troubles of earth!For what is our life madeBut drinking and mirth!Drink, and be glad, sirs,Laugh and be gay;Keep sober to-morrow,But drink to-day!Love's a deceiver,--He'll cheat if he can;Sweet innocent womanIs wiser than man!Trust her not, trust her not,She will deceive!Who wins her may gatherThe sea in a sieve!Laying up moneyIs labour and care;All you have toiled forIs spent by the heir!Knowledge is wearisome,Save when the wiseStudy whole volumesIn beautiful eyes!So, down with the sorrowsAnd troubles of earth!For what was our life madeBut drinking and mirth!Then drink and be glad, sirs,Laugh and be gay;Keep sober to-morrow,But drink to-day."Seven Temptations." By Mrs. Howitt.
Down, down with the sorrows
And troubles of earth!
For what is our life made
But drinking and mirth!
Drink, and be glad, sirs,
Laugh and be gay;
Keep sober to-morrow,
But drink to-day!
Love's a deceiver,--
He'll cheat if he can;
Sweet innocent woman
Is wiser than man!
Trust her not, trust her not,
She will deceive!
Who wins her may gather
The sea in a sieve!
Laying up money
Is labour and care;
All you have toiled for
Is spent by the heir!
Knowledge is wearisome,
Save when the wise
Study whole volumes
In beautiful eyes!
So, down with the sorrows
And troubles of earth!
For what was our life made
But drinking and mirth!
Then drink and be glad, sirs,
Laugh and be gay;
Keep sober to-morrow,
But drink to-day.
"Seven Temptations." By Mrs. Howitt.
All repeat the last verse, and drink.
Freisleben.--Mr. Traveller, that song originates in your Fatherland. She who wrote it shall "live-hoch!" (They touch glasses.) Now, Von Kronen, let us have a German one.
Von Kronen sings:--
THE SONG OF WINE.The song of wine is short and fine,And joy and drinking doth combine.Oh! he who cannot sing it yet,Will learn it now we here are met.The song of wine, etc.Ye chat not long your cups among;Wine fires the spirit into song,He who can sing, high be his laud,--He who sings not can hum accord.Ye chat not long, etc.Wine clears the blood, gives bolder mood,And makes the heart all mild and good.Wine is the death-blow to old Care!A glorious call to do and dare!Wine clears, etc.The wine-elate, without estate,And without castle 's rich and great.Yes, gods we are when wine flows clear,And old Olympus yet stands here.The wine-elate, etc.Join hand in hand; in Bacchus' landAll men are free, and equal stand.O magic drink! thou noble wine!The golden age for ever's thine.Join hand in hand, etc.
The song of wine is short and fine,
And joy and drinking doth combine.
Oh! he who cannot sing it yet,
Will learn it now we here are met.
The song of wine, etc.
Ye chat not long your cups among;
Wine fires the spirit into song,
He who can sing, high be his laud,--
He who sings not can hum accord.
Ye chat not long, etc.
Wine clears the blood, gives bolder mood,
And makes the heart all mild and good.
Wine is the death-blow to old Care!
A glorious call to do and dare!
Wine clears, etc.
The wine-elate, without estate,
And without castle 's rich and great.
Yes, gods we are when wine flows clear,
And old Olympus yet stands here.
The wine-elate, etc.
Join hand in hand; in Bacchus' land
All men are free, and equal stand.
O magic drink! thou noble wine!
The golden age for ever's thine.
Join hand in hand, etc.
Freisleben.--Our absent friends shall live! (They touch glasses.)
Mr. Traveller.--Will they return soon?
Von Kronen.--We expect them to-morrow, and their Christmas presents, which their Frau Mamma and Mamsel have given them. Pittschaft will be well packaged again, who would not on any account fail to spend his Christmas-eve in his Father-city.
Mr. Traveller.--The exchange of gifts at Christmas, as it is practised in Germany, pleases me much; and I am especially delighted with the Christ-tree.
Von Kronen.--Have you seen the huge tree at the Sattlermüllerei,[45]where the Hanseatic students hold their Christmas?
Mr. Traveller.--No. Do the students then also present each other with Christmas gifts?
Von Kronen.--One or other of the Chores frequently amuse themselves with this sport. I recollect that a society to which I belonged agreed to exchange Christmas gifts, of which none was to cost more than six kreutzer--twopence English money. The most droll things imaginable were brought on the occasion.
Hoffmann.--The glee-wine is famous; it warms one right through and through. Let us sing a beautiful song. He plays and all sing.
TABLE-SONG.FROM GOETHE.Heavenly joy entrances meFar beyond exploring;Shall it one day bear me upTo the star-lands soaring?Yet, in truth, remaining here,More is to my liking;By the wine-glass and the song--On the table striking.Friends, I pray ye, wonder notAt my thus deciding;For no blessing yet is like--On the earth abiding.Therefore swear I solemnly,Without all concealing,That I shall not recklesslyOut of life be stealing.But as here we all have metTime to speed with pleasure;Should, methinks, the Beakers chimeTo the Poet's measure.Good friends must, a hundred miles,Move from one another;Therefore you met here, stoest-anBrother as with Brother!Live then he who is of peaceAnd of good a donor!First and foremost to our king,His of right's the honour.'Gainst all enemies, the state,Still he doth defend it;To uphold it planneth much;Much more to extend it.Now the next, salute I her,--Her the true alone one!And let each, as gallant knight,Think upon his own one.Should a lovely maiden guessHer of whom I'm thinking;Let her archly nod to me--To her own love drinking.To our friends!--the two or three--Be the third cheer voicéd,Who with us in sunny daysQuietly rejoicéd.They who from our night the gloomSwift and lightly scatter--Lift to them a hearty--hoch!Old friends, or the latter.Broader now rolls on the streamWith augmented billows;"Live they, hoch!" resound the cheerUnto all good fellows.They who with combined strengthPlant themselves together;In the sunshine of good luck;In the worst of weather!As we are collected here,Thousands are collected:May their sports and joys run high--Higher than expected.From the spring unto the seaMany mills are turning,Wider far!--my heart streams out--For the whole world burning!
Heavenly joy entrances me
Far beyond exploring;
Shall it one day bear me up
To the star-lands soaring?
Yet, in truth, remaining here,
More is to my liking;
By the wine-glass and the song--
On the table striking.
Friends, I pray ye, wonder not
At my thus deciding;
For no blessing yet is like--
On the earth abiding.
Therefore swear I solemnly,
Without all concealing,
That I shall not recklessly
Out of life be stealing.
But as here we all have met
Time to speed with pleasure;
Should, methinks, the Beakers chime
To the Poet's measure.
Good friends must, a hundred miles,
Move from one another;
Therefore you met here, stoest-an
Brother as with Brother!
Live then he who is of peace
And of good a donor!
First and foremost to our king,
His of right's the honour.
'Gainst all enemies, the state,
Still he doth defend it;
To uphold it planneth much;
Much more to extend it.
Now the next, salute I her,--
Her the true alone one!
And let each, as gallant knight,
Think upon his own one.
Should a lovely maiden guess
Her of whom I'm thinking;
Let her archly nod to me--
To her own love drinking.
To our friends!--the two or three--
Be the third cheer voicéd,
Who with us in sunny days
Quietly rejoicéd.
They who from our night the gloom
Swift and lightly scatter--
Lift to them a hearty--hoch!
Old friends, or the latter.
Broader now rolls on the stream
With augmented billows;
"Live they, hoch!" resound the cheer
Unto all good fellows.
They who with combined strength
Plant themselves together;
In the sunshine of good luck;
In the worst of weather!
As we are collected here,
Thousands are collected:
May their sports and joys run high--
Higher than expected.
From the spring unto the sea
Many mills are turning,
Wider far!--my heart streams out--
For the whole world burning!
The company were raised into the best spirits by the song. The splendid cigars, such as seldom wander to the banks of the Neckar; the sparkling wine, which welled out of the little machine as inexhaustibly as cash out of Fortunatus' purse--all contributed to render the conversation, which turned on the recent festivity, animated and delicious. The Christmas festival, one of the very few people's feasts, which divided Germany yet maintained inviolably universal, had given especial pleasure to the Englishman, to whom it was a novel circumstance. Above all, he could not sufficiently extol a walk which his friends had taken him on Christmas-eve.
He who has ever witnessed in Germany a celebration of Christ's gifts to the children, knows well the joyful expectation with which the children await in an adjoining room the ecstatic moment when the doors of Paradise shall be opened to them. How beats their hearts, when at length the bell rings, after whose sound they have for weeks long yearned, and in anticipation of which, they have often calculated how frequently the Sandman[46]must do his duty before that moment arrived. And now, the instant that it is become dark, the impatience of the little ones can be no more restrained, and in all, even the poorest houses, the Bescherung, or distribution of the presents, begins. The shutters on this evening are closed in scarcely any of the houses, so that in the dark, as you pass along the streets, you see into the rooms lit up and embellished for the occasion. The Christ-tree covered with lights, throws its beams into the very darkness of the street; and the jubilant cries of the rushing-in children are heard, as transported with the view of their individual presents, they fly to each other to show them. This scene his friends had brought to his observation, and he could not sufficiently thank them for it.
A modest supper was now brought out; the friends seated themselves round the table, and while they addressed themselves to discuss it, they heard the reports of pistols every where resounding in the streets. The conversation turned itself upon the festivity of the present night, and on the different modes in which it is celebrated in different countries.
"That shooting," said Freisleben, "is a pleasure that we will surrender to other people; but the Vivat! we will help to accomplish. The Chores, Mr. Traveller, which betake themselves this night to their kneips, make, about twelve o'clock, a procession through the city, and bring to some of the Professors a 'Lebe hoch!' But till the hour arrive, we will endeavour to entertain ourselves with the recollection of a former occasion of this kind. It is so natural, at the conclusion of the year, for us to bring its circumstances once more before us, and with what must ours knit themselves?--Certainly with the University-city. I therefore make the proposal, that every one of us, in rotation, relate something which has a particular reference to remarkable persons and events, occurring or existing in Heidelberg in former times, and which were never wanting in Ruperto-Carolo; and in order to make a worthy beginning, our great historiographer, Von Kronen, may, as he lately was on the point of doing, communicate some of the most striking passages from the annals of the City of the Muses."
The proposal met with general acceptance. The glasses were again replenished; the cigars sent their curling fumes into the air; and Von Kronen, throwing himself back in the corner of the sofa, began--
Heidelberg is one of our most ancient university-cities. Heidelberg, in the unfolding history of German science and German spirit, took a distinguished stand, and yet exists it, in the full-grown image of this scientific life of Germany, an important and essential member. At the mention of this university, start up in the memory renowned names, the recollection of great crises in the history of literature. It is, to the whole student youth of Germany, the spot of promise and of desire. It stands foremost amongst those German universities to which even from abroad, from beyond the Rhine, the Alps, even the ocean, scholars assemble themselves.
The most numerous and the most living traditions of German literature and German spirit amongst the French and English, date from Heidelberg, and Heidelberg is therefore pre-eminently the representative of our education, the type of the German universities, with those nations.
The founding of the university took place in the year 1386; a period in which, though literature flourished in Italy, a deep night still brooded over Germany. The then Emperor Charles IV. had erected a school of general study at Prague, on the model of the Paris university; and the advantages of this institution could not escape the eyes of the Elector, a friend of the Emperor's, in his frequent visits to Prague--advantages which were derived to the whole country from this establishment. He, therefore, resolved to erect a university in his city of residence, Heidelberg. On the other hand, the foundation of the university had a political object. It was intended to prove an instrument for advancing the interests of Pope Urban VI., whose partisan Rupert I. of the Pfalz was. In this cause it stood forth in opposition to the university of Paris, which had declared for the other pope, Clement VII. Notwithstanding this circumstance, it was equally formed on the model of that of Paris, and received part of its first teachers thence. As there, the scholastic studies acquired an exclusive influence. Theology was in the ascendant; the Aristotelian philosophy, and the Canon Law, followed in immediate connexion; medicine, somewhat later, raised itself out of its scanty beginnings. Dialectical contentions take up nearly the whole of the early history of the university. Yet it is to be remarked, that the returned spirit of living experience announced itself, as it had earlier done here, through the predominance of Nominalism. Perhaps the study itself of the physical writings of Aristotle, slight and confined as it always was, might lay the first foundation of the empirical researches into nature; which later, here, as in Paris, came forth so conspicuously. On the contrary, the university closed itself resolutely against the humanity tendency, which penetrated into Germany out of Italy, and which Philip the Upright also was anxious to plant in Heidelberg; but which Frederick II., and his successor Otto Henry, were the first to accomplish, preparing thereby a way for the Classical languages and literature themselves. Through Micyle, Ehem, and Melancthon, the university was reorganized; the predominance of the theological faculty restrained; and thus, together with the philosophical and humanity studies, a wider circle of operation opened to the practical sciences. The study of law flourished under excellent teachers; in the faculty of medicine professorships of therapeutics, pathology, and physiology, were established.
The storm which now burst out in the train of the Reformation reduced the universities to great straits; religion became matter of politics, and the personal connexions and opinions of the princes, determined often in a very powerful manner the course of knowledge. The unfortunate embarrassments of the Elector Frederick V., led to the storming of the castle of Heidelberg by the Bavarians; to the expulsion of the professors and students; to the sending away of the valuable library; and finally, to the total suppression of the university. Carl Frederick had it entirely to reinstate anew. He did it with a noble zeal, in the spirit and according to the needs of the time. The most distinguished teachers, as Cocijus, Spina, Frank, Freinsheime, and Textor, were called to it; a professorship for State and Popular law, the first founded in Germany, was established; and entrusted to the celebrated originator of this new doctrine, Samuel Puffendorf. A freer spirit arose in both speech and writing; and Carl Ludwig laid it under no restraint.
New agitations of the time, again disturbed this happy condition of the university; the political rule changed with the personal affairs of the princes; and literature felt the influence of this, in the strongest and most immediate manner. The teaching of philosophy was at a later period made over to the Lazarists; a dark reaction commenced against the liberal spirit; and at the same time that the peculiar speculative element of Heidelberg university fell into the shade, the empirical sciences rose up again into new existence on all sides.
A society had already, in 1734, established itself under the auspices of Professor Heuresius, for the cultivation of the history of the Fatherland, which however fell again. In 1769, a philosophical and economical society was founded in Lautern; and in 1774, a school of state economy. Both of these were removed to Heidelberg in 1784, and richly furnished with books and collections. From Heidelberg went forth the first impulse towards a scientific treatment of the doctrines of State economy.
The House of Zähringen now stepping into possession of the Pfalz, thus presided over the university. The second of the newly acquired territories, the Breisgau, erected in the university of Freiburg a rival to Heidelberg; a circumstance which was not without its effect on the latter. By the removal of the Catholic seminary to Freiburg, the scope and operation of the theological Faculty in Heidelberg were strikingly constringed; but only the stronger, and in this respect in opposition to the Freiburg university, and in more conspicuous superiority, advanced the other Faculties of Heidelberg, especially the judicial and medicinal, and of the philosophical, the section of state economy; which last, through the new organization of the university, constituted an especial department, and was placed in rank, at the head of the philosophical. This scientific tendency has raised itself on the preponderating necessity of the nation and the times; upon it grounded itself the fame and consideration of Heidelberg in foreign countries; and the new government was sagacious enough not to disturb this natural and historical position of the university by ill-timed interference. The demands of modern education were so far conceded to, that, by calling into it men of the highest celebrity in all departments, a combination of the various ruling tendencies of the spirit of the times, a universality of studies, was attempted. The two Vosses were won in order to give new splendour to the university, and demonstrate the taste for classicality; and a new impetus was given to the novel speculative tendencies in philosophy and theology.
But it soon became sufficiently convincing that these elements of education did not naturally assimilate themselves to the scientific life of Heidelberg, but were only artificially engrafted; that Heidelberg has not its mission to represent in itself the spirit of modern science and art; but the simple vocation of working out education and accomplishment suited to the necessities and interests of the practical life of the state and of civil offices, in both their wider and their more circumscribed spheres. It was then suffered to retain the character which it had established for itself, and those endeavours to force it into directions which did not naturally originate in its own bosom and nature, were discontinued. Thus it came to pass that the philosophy and the speculative theology altogether dragged; that the classical and antiquarian studies became one-sided; that even in the practical sciences certain methods became prevalent; that the electrical shocks of the stream of the new literary topics and of scientific revolutions in vain thundered and lightened and raged round the professors of the old--professors who, from their isolated stools, smiled over that rushing and confused scene of excitement; and that the men of modern culture, the genial spirits, the speculative heads, with one voice called down anathemas on that Heidelberg Philisterium. But this anathematized Heidelberg Philisterium yet possesses an internal strength and freshness, with which the hollow inflation of thesoi-disantintellectual world found it difficult to measure itself; these old gentlemen, who seem so far removed from the spirit of the age, yet rest themselves in the real soil of the time, in the spirit of the period, in the progression of political and social life, far deeper than those genialists who in high-sounding theories and systems imagine that they have seized on the world-spirit. This scientific life which seems to stagnate, flows on without intermission noiselessly, steadily, but not by fits and starts.
Hoffmann.--The old gentlemen shall live, and to their health we will rub a salamander. Every one prepare a half-glass, and then I will command.
All seize their glasses, which are half-filled. They rub with them on the table in circles before them, all the time saying--"Salamander, salamander, salam--," Hoffmann commands, One, two, three! and at the three the glasses are emptied; One, two, three! they are again set down on the table altogether with a clap, where they continue rattling with them, till the command again One, two, three! when they are all lifted aloft, and at the final command once more set down altogether on the table with a thump.