Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 128.djvu/833

Rh mnch sought after, but didn't amount to much professionally, at least not in Germany, where the doctor has a State examination to pass after he has got his degree. But in America, or anywhere else, he believed, they could just practise on a German M.D. degree, and he knew of one Herr Doctor out west who was about as fit to take hold of any sick fellow as he was himself. Oh, Matthew, Matthew, my mentor! When I got home I had to take down thy volume on universities in Germany, and restore my failing faith by a glance at the appendix, giving a list of the courses of lectures by professors, Privat-docenten, and readers of the university of Berlin during one winter, in which the medical faculty's subjects occupy seven pages; and to remind myself that the characteristics of the German universities are "Lehrfreiheit ttnd lernfreiheit," "Liberty for the teacher, and liberty for the learner;" also that "the French university has no liberty, and the English universities have no science; the German universities have both." Too much liberty of one kind this student at any rate bore witness to, and in one of his serious moments was eloquent on the danger and mischief of the system, so far as his outlook had gone.

By the time our roads diverged, the young runaway had quite won me over to forget his escapades, by his frank disclosures of all that was passing in his mind, of regret and tenderness, hopefulness and audacity; and I sorrowed for a few moments on the platform as the sealskin cap disappeared at the window of the Liverpool carriage, from which he waived a cheery adieu.

As I walked towards the carriage to go on my own way, I found myself regretting that I should see his ruddy face no more, and wishing him all success "in that new world which is the old," for which he was bound, with no possession but his handbag and self-reliance to make his way with. I might have sat alone for thrice as long with an English youngster, in like case, without knowing a word of his history; but then, such history could never have happened to an Englishman, for he never would have run his bail, but would have gone to prison and served his time as a matter of course.

How much each nation has to learn of the other! But I trust that by this time my young friend has seen to it, that the good-natured Herr Doctor who went bail for him hasn't "slipped up anyway." Author:Thomas Hughes.

 

 From The Academy.

the meeting of the Manchester Literary Club on Tuesday last, Mr. J. E. Bailey, F.S.A., exhibited some inedited letters of Samuel Pepys which he had deciphered from the tracings of the original short-hand drafts in the Bodleian. The transcripts had been revised by the Rev. Mynors Bright, the editor of the new edition of Pepys' diary. The letters were addressed to Mrs. St. Michel, the diarist's sister-in-law. During the absence of her husband, whose career was one of considerable vicissitude, the charge of providing for her maintenance devolved upon Pepys, whose careful disposition and strict business habits did not lead him to sympathize with the more careless living of the St Michels. For his brother-in-law he had obtained various posts connected with the navy. To his sister-in-law he writes thus: —

Saterd., Oct 1, 1681.
 * Your desiring to know what you are to trust to is the reason of my writing to you again. I have determined to restrict any further rate [or writ(ing)], at least until my brother your husband comes, which I hourly expect, and therefore doubt not his being here long before the ten weeks are out. What then you have to trust to from me and Mr. H[ewer] is what I told you in my last, namely, after the rate of 20s. per week and no more, this being as much as I and my wife had for several years to spend; and yet lived so as never to be ashamed of our manner of living, though we had house-rent and tax to pay which you have not; and this in London, too, and yet far from ruin [or free run, i.e. safe] upon that score; the truth and assurity [?] of which do appear in the daily paid account she kept of every issuing of her family expenses even to a bunch of carrot and a ball of whiteing, which I have under her own hand to show you at this day. Therefore do not expect that any profession of frugality can be of satisfaction to me, but what appears in an account. Not but that I could wish with all my heart that my brother's condition and yours would afford you a larger, allowance. But where every farthing of what you and he spend is to be taken up upon credit, as it is without any certainty of prospect when you will be in a condition to repay it, and you (beside all this) a numerous stock of children to provide for, you ought not to think any degree of sparing too much to be exercised; at least, that is my opinion, and that will not let me be guilty of encouraging you into [or in too] unnecessary profuseness by lending you beforehand more than what I think sufficient for you, and that I take 20s. a week (as I have said) prudently [?] 
 * Your desiring to know what you are to trust to is the reason of my writing to you again. I have determined to restrict any further rate [or writ(ing)], at least until my brother your husband comes, which I hourly expect, and therefore doubt not his being here long before the ten weeks are out. What then you have to trust to from me and Mr. H[ewer] is what I told you in my last, namely, after the rate of 20s. per week and no more, this being as much as I and my wife had for several years to spend; and yet lived so as never to be ashamed of our manner of living, though we had house-rent and tax to pay which you have not; and this in London, too, and yet far from ruin [or free run, i.e. safe] upon that score; the truth and assurity [?] of which do appear in the daily paid account she kept of every issuing of her family expenses even to a bunch of carrot and a ball of whiteing, which I have under her own hand to show you at this day. Therefore do not expect that any profession of frugality can be of satisfaction to me, but what appears in an account. Not but that I could wish with all my heart that my brother's condition and yours would afford you a larger, allowance. But where every farthing of what you and he spend is to be taken up upon credit, as it is without any certainty of prospect when you will be in a condition to repay it, and you (beside all this) a numerous stock of children to provide for, you ought not to think any degree of sparing too much to be exercised; at least, that is my opinion, and that will not let me be guilty of encouraging you into [or in too] unnecessary profuseness by lending you beforehand more than what I think sufficient for you, and that I take 20s. a week (as I have said) prudently [?] 