THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPZIG.

LEIPZIG, January 15, 1876.

As the University of Leipzig now occupies such a prominent position among the institutions of learning in the world, a few remarks bearing upon its recent rapid progress and present condition may be of interest, especially as it is largely attended by American students.

Commencing with the summer semester of 1850, we find 897 students inscribed, and this number varied but little until in the summer of 1865 there were 1,000 names upon the rolls, being an increase of only 103 students in fifteen years; but in the summer of 1870 we find this number increased to 1,665, and since that time we will take the winter semesters and note the rapid progress to the present time as follows:

In addition to this last and present number of regularly matriculated students there are also 107 persons not inscribed, but who, by permis sion, are attendants upon the lectures, making a total of 3,032 "hearers," as they are called, for, in university parlance, the professors do not teach; they "read" and students "hear."

After the summer semester of 1875, 856 students left the university and 1,006 were newly inscribed for the winter, being an increase of 150 students for the present term.

The German Empire furnishes 2,575 students, of which number Prussia contributes 1,143 and Saxony 1,031. From other European states there are 274, as follows: 86 from Austria, 67 from Russia, 62 from Switzerland, 30 from Greece and Turkey, 12 from England, 7 from the Netherlands, 6 from Sweden and Norway, and 2 each from Italy and France. From foreign countries there are: 63 from North America, 4 each from Japan and Africa, 3 from Brazil, and 1 each from Chili and Cuba; in other words, the four quarters of the globe are represented as follows: Europe, 2,849; America, 68; Asia, 4; and Africa 4; making the total of 2,925 students.

The classes number in the following order: law, 1,130; philosophy, 1,089; medicine, 369, and theology, 337 students. Under the head of

philosophy are included philosophy, agriculture, mathematics, and polit ical economy.

The faculty consists of 60 "ordentliche Professoren," 58 “ausserordentliche Professoren," and 42 "Privatdocenten," besides a director of music and teachers and masters of fencing and gymnastics.

In medicine we find such names as Weber, Wagner, Wunderlich, Ludwig, Thiersch, and Coccius. In theology, Kahnis, Luthardt, Delitzsch, and Baur. In law, Von Wächter, Windscheid, Schmidt, Friedberg, and Osterloh. Professor Overbeck, the present "Rector magnificus," lectures on classical archæology; Professor Curtius, on classical philology; Professors Fleischer and Brockhaus, on Oriental languages; Roscher on political economy; Kolbe and Wiedemann, on chemistry, and Leuckart, on zoölogy.

There are many other names equally deserving of mention, but I have given only those who are best and most widely known.

From the above record it will be seen that in point of numbers the University of Leipsic is now the most important in Germany, if not in the world. The great majority of its students are natives of German states outside of Saxony, and it has lost all provincial character.

The former King of Saxony, a scholar himself, a man of great learning, took especial interest in this university and was its patron up to the time of his death. His son, the present King, although more of the soldier than the scholar, takes the same deep interest, and the Saxon gov. ernment, having plenty of means at command, has been able to draw together here the great leaders in almost every branch of science and art and to imbue with a tone of liberality both professors and students. The German student gains admission into the university only by a strict and severe training in the public schools and Gymnasia. Especially must he be thorough in the classics; but once in the university he takes his future in his own hands; he selects his professors and studies and improves or wastes his talents, as he thinks best; he may be sure the professors or no one else will concern themselves whether he studies or plays, and he must succeed by his own efforts or fail through his own neglect.

Special training is the object of university life, and it is to be supposed that the American student coming to Germany has finished his studies and taken his degree at home and has come for the purpose of perfecting himself in some specialty; and this subject, whatever it may be, he must study to the exclusion of all others.

Facilities are offered here for the study of some specialties such as no other university offers; for instance, the study of the oriental languages, those of the eastern as well as of the western brauch, and of comparative philology.

These advantages, together with the general tone of excellence and thoroughness in the instruction in all the faculties and the comparative cheapness of the necessities of life in this city, have enabled Leipsic to

outstrip its most powerful rival, Berlin, in the struggle for the possession of the leading university of the day.

Of our own countrymen we find 63 names upon the rolls, and there are several who attend the lectures but have not matriculated; their position with professors and students is all that could be desired and the general excellence of their conduct and work is often remarked. It is not seldom that the great teachers declare their American students to be among the best they have, and it is a matter of importance and a source of congratulation that the rising scholars of our country show themselves in the front ranks of the leading schools of the world.

105