Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 7, no. 41, March, 1861 | Page 5

its real divisions, as Philosophy proper, Philology, History, the Mathematical and Natural Sciences, the faculties would extend far beyond the present number. In France, it is divided into a _Faculté des Lettres and a Faculté des Sciences._ The present comprehensive use of the term is but an extension of the Middle-Age division of the liberal arts into the Trivium,--Grammar, Rhetoric, Dialectics,--and the Quadrivium,--Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy,--as expressed in the verse,--
"Lingus, tropus, ratio, numerus, tenor, angulus, astra."
The term _Magister Artium Liberalium,_ so often met with, refers to these. Those pursuing these studies were denominated _Artisti._ As the number of studies increased, the name was changed, and the department now includes all branches not ranged under one of the heads of Theology, Law, or Medicine; so that every student, whatever his pursuits may be, if he does not confine himself exclusively to them, will wish to hear one or more courses of lectures in this faculty.
The Professors Ordinary and Extraordinary, together with the _Privat-Docents_, form the active force of the German university. In Tübingen are _Repetenten_, who lecture or comment on classical and Biblical writers and form classes in the ancient or modern languages. Those teaching the modern languages exclusively are styled Lectors. The title, _Professor Honorarius_, as of Gervinus in Heidelberg, is conferred merely as a mark of honor, the bearer lecturing only when he pleases. To complete this enumeration, it may not be unnecessary to state, connected with each university are masters for riding, fencing, swimming, gymnastics, and dancing, regular places appointed for these exercises, beside access to museums, the university library, scientific collections, etc.
The number of professors--and under this name we include the three divisions of lecturers--varies from forty to one hundred and seventy and upwards, according to the size and importance of the institution. In Berlin, last winter, there were one hundred and sixty-nine; in Erlangen, but forty-four; in Munich, one hundred and eleven. The University of Kiel, with not one hundred and thirty students, numbers fifty professors. These each deliver at least one course of lectures; most deliver more,--some as many as four or five. In Prussia, each is required by law to read one course, at least, gratis (_publice_); otherwise the lectures are _privatim_, a fee being paid by the hearer,--say four or five dollars on the average for the term. The privatissime are private lessons or lectures, the when and where to be settled with the lecturer himself.
The year is divided into two terms, varying somewhat in different places. The summer session is the shorter of the two, lasting from near the middle of April till August, when the long vacation takes place. The winter semester usually commences in October and lasts till the latter part of March.
As to the scope and variety of the lectures, it is unlimited, and varies yearly. In Berlin, during the winter semester of 1859-60, there were no less than three hundred and forty-six courses in all, besides the clinics, demonstrative and practical courses, philological exercises, and the like. These were divided as follows:--
In Theology . . . . . . 38 " Law. . . . . . . . 56 " Medicine . . . . . . 78 " Philosophy . . . . . 174
In the latter department there were,--
In Philosophy proper . . . 18 " Mathematical Sciences . . 19 " Natural " . . 45 " Political Economy, etc. . 10 " History and Geography . . 12 " Aesthetics . . . . 19 " Philology . . . . . 51
But Berlin is by far the most complete university in Germany, however much it may be surpassed in many points by others. Lesser institutions do not exhibit half this number of courses, though there are always enough to satisfy the student who does not devote himself to a narrow speciality. Private tuition can always be resorted to.
Beside the lectures, there are also occasionally _Seminaren_, mostly conducted in Latin, where classical or Biblical authors are explained and read by the students, or where discussions take place, in presence of a professor, on philosophical, historical, or philological subjects,--resembling, however, in nothing our debating-societies.
It is only since the middle of the last century that instruction in the higher branches has been usually carried on in German. Latin was formerly in general use; it is now seldom made a medium. There is occasionally a course delivered in English, Italian, or French,--in Berlin often in one of the Sclavonic languages. Modern Literature and Philology are by no means extensively cultivated. Lectures on the Proven?al, the Langue d'O?l, the Old-German, the Cyrillic, are not uncommon, though but poorly attended. The study of the modern languages themselves must be pursued with private teachers. A knowledge of these, as well as a thorough preparatory training in Latin and