Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/135

 UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER CENTRES OF LEARNING 123 poraries in enthusiasm for the newly revived study of antiquity. Wherever his restless activity carried him, at Basle, Paris, Tubingen, and Bern, he had an unusual following. As rector of the University of Paris he used all his influence to promote the study of the classics in France, and, above all, to hold up the beauty and purity of style of the Latin writings as an example to be fol- lowed. Paris was indebted to him for its first printing- house, established by the so-called ' German Brother- hood.' In conjunction with the famous Eealist, Wilhelm Fichet, he rendered every possible assistance to those scholars who took refuge from Greece in Paris. He carried on a brisk correspondence with Italy, and bought up collections of manuscripts, by careful com- parison of which he was able to throw light on the text of the classic authors. He had great influence on the culture of Agricola and Eeuchlin, both of whom ac- knowledge him as their teacher in the most grateful and complimentary terms. At Bern he established a house of education and discipline, which was placed under the direction of the monk Nicholas Weidenbusch, who was also well versed in the science of medicine. As a preacher, both at Basle and Bern, he waged war against the vices and crimes of the day. 1 At Basle Heynlin was the intellectual centre of a circle of able men, who were active workers, either in the university or the field of literature generally ; amongst them were the following embryo celebrities of first rank : — Sebastian Brant and Geiler von Kaisers- berg ; William Textoris of Aix-la-Chapelle, professor of theology, whom Trithemius praises for his independence 1 There are still five octavo volumes of his sermons in the Basle library.