tholics; but in
Germany parents can withdraw their children from religious instruction
in school, provided they satisfy the authorities that it is given
elsewhere. The two highest classes had lessons on eight chapters of
St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, on the Epistle to the Philippians,
and on the confessions of St. Augustine. Some classes were instructed
in the Gospel according to St. John, and the little boys learned Bible
History. So Germans are not without orthodox theological teaching in
their early years, whatever opinions they arrive at in their
adolescence.

Every boy in the school spent two or three hours each week on German
composition, and, like boys in other countries, handled themes they
could assuredly not understand, probably, like other boys, without a
scruple or a hesitation.

"Why does the ghost of Banquo appear to Macbeth, and not the ghost of
Duncan?"

"How are the unities of time, place, and action treated in Schiller's
ballads?"

"Discuss the antitheses in Lessing's Laokoon."

"What can you say about the representation of concrete objects in
Goethe's _Hermann and Dorothea_?"

These examples are taken at random from a list too long to quote
completely; but no one need be impressed by them. Boys perform
wonderful feats of this kind in England too. However, I once heard a
German professor say that the English boy outdid the German in
_gesunder Menschenverstand_ (sound common sense), but that the German
wins in the race when it comes to the abstract knowledge (_Wissen_)
that he and his countryfolk prize above all the treasures of the
earth. No one who knows both countries can doubt for a single moment
that the professor was right, and that he stated the case as fairly as
it can be stated. In an emergency or in trying circumstances the
English boy would be readier and more self-reliant: but when you meet
him where entertainment is wanted rather than resource, his ignorance
will make you open your eyes. This, at any rate, is the kind of story
told and believed of Englishmen in Germany. A student who was working
at science in a German university had been there the whole winter, and
though the city possessed many fine theatres he had only visited a
variety show. At last his friends told him that it was his duty to go
to the _Schauspielhaus_ and see a play by Goethe or Schiller. "Goethe!
Schiller!" said my Englishman, "_Was ist das?_"

The education of girls in Germany is in a transition state a