llage near Lubeck. His
father sent him in his sixteenth year to the gymnasium at Lubeck, where
he became so much interested in ancient languages that he abandoned his
idea of a legal career and resolved to devote himself to the study of
theology. After spending some time at the university of Kiel, he went to
Berlin, where, from 1814 to 1817, he studied under De Wette, Neander and
Schleiermacher. So highly were his merits appreciated by his
professors--Schleiermacher was accustomed to say that he possessed a
special _charisma_ for the science of "Introduction"--that in 1818 after
he had passed the examinations for entering the ministry he was recalled
to Berlin as _Repetent_ or tutorial fellow in theology, a temporary post
which the theological faculty had obtained for him. Besides discharging
his duties in the theological seminary, he published two dissertations
in Schleiermacher's and G.C.F. Lucke's _Journal_(1819-1820,1822), one on
the origin and composition of the Sibylline Oracles "Uber die Entstehung
und Zusammensetzung der Sibyllinischen Orakel," and another on the
authorship and design of the Book of Daniel, "Uber Verfasser und Zweck
des Buches Daniel." These articles attracted much attention, and were
distinguished by those qualities of solid learning, thorough
investigation and candour of judgment which characterized all his
writings. Bleek's merits as a rising scholar were recognized by the
minister of public instruction, who continued his stipend as _Repetent_
for a third year, and promised further advancement in due time. But the
attitude of the political authority underwent a change. De Wette was
dismissed from his professorship in 1819, and Bleek, a favourite pupil,
incurred the suspicion of the government as an extreme democrat. Not
only was his stipend as _Repetent_ discontinued, but his nomination to
the office of professor extraordinarius, which had already been signed
by the minister Karl Altenstein, was withheld. At length it was found
that Bleek had been confounded with a certain Baueleven Blech, and in
1823 he received the appointment.

During the six years that Bleek remained at Berlin, he twice declined a
call to the office of professor ordinarius of theology, once to
Greifswald and once to Konigsberg. In 1829, however, he was induced to
accept Lucke's chair in the recently-founded university of Bonn, and
entered upon his duties there in the summer of the same year. For thirty
years he laboured w