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

both Catholic and Protestant Theology are
represented, there are in fact six faculties. The Philosophical
Department stretches over so wide a field, that, were it separated into
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
Provençal, the Langue d'Oïl, the