ill-bested? Enlightened Edict-of-Nantes Protestantism,
a cross between Bayle and Calvin: that was but indifferent babe's milk
to the little creature. Nor could Noltenius's Catechism, and ponderous
drill-exercise in orthodox theology, much inspire a clear soul with
pieties, and tendencies to soar Heavenward.

Alas, it is a dreary litter indeed, mere wagon-load on wagon-load of
shot-rubbish, that is heaped round this new human plant, by Noltenius
and Company, among others. A wonder only that they did not extinguish
all Sense of the Highest in the poor young soul, and leave only a Sense
of the Dreariest and Stupidest. But a healthy human soul can stand a
great deal. The healthy soul shakes off, in an unexpectedly victorious
manner, immense masses of dry rubbish that have been shot upon it by
its assiduous pedagogues and professors. What would become of any of us
otherwise! Duhan, opening the young soul, by such modest gift as Duhan
had, to recognize black from white a little, in this embroiled high
Universe, is probably an exception in some small measure. But, Duhan
excepted, it may be said to have been in spite of most of his teachers,
and their diligent endeavors, that Friedrich did acquire some human
piety; kept the sense of truth alive in his mind; knew, in whatever
words he phrased it, the divine eternal nature of Duty; and managed, in
the muddiest element and most eclipsed Age ever known, to steer by the
heavenly loadstars and (so we must candidly term it) to FOLLOW God's
Law; in some measure, with or without Noltenius for company. Noltenius's
CATECHISM, or ghostly Drill-manual for Fritz, at least the Catechism he
had plied Wilhelmina with, which no doubt was the same, is still extant.
[Preuss, i. 15;--specimens of it in Rodenbeck.] A very abstruse Piece;
orthodox Lutheran-Calvinist, all proved from Scripture; giving what
account it can of this unfathomable Universe, to the young mind. To
modern Prussians it by no means shines as the indubitablest Theory of
the Universe. Indignant modern Prussians produce excerpts from it, of
an abstruse nature; and endeavor to deduce therefrom some of Friedrich's
aberrations in matters of religion, which became notorious enough by
and by. Alas, I fear, it would not have been easy, even for the modern
Prussian, to produce a perfect Catechism for the use of Friedrich; this
Universe still continues a little abstruse!

And there is another deeper thing to be remarked: the notion of
"te