Page:The study of history in Holland and Belgium (IA studyofhistoryin00frrich).pdf/24

 occupies the same chair at Groningen, is another favorite disciple.

M. Muller divides his work into three courses. In one he gives detached chapters of the history of the Middle Ages and modern times (capita selecta historiœ), such as: the sources of Mediæval history up to Charlemagne; some parts of the life of the great Frank emperor; some episodes of the French Revolution of 1789. In the second he studies a single period of European history in modern times. In the third, he takes up political and historical geography.

When I was at Leyden in 1885, M. Muller, in his course in capita selecta historiœ, in which he had three students, was speaking of the French Revolution. He constantly compared von Sybel to Taine and clearly defined the amount of credence to be accorded to the principal historians of the great revolution. His practical advice to his students was to read, first of all, von Sybel's admirable book, then Thiers, Louis Blanc, etc., so as to note how partial the latter are. M. Muller frequently read long extracts from von Sybel in German, a proceeding which would be impossible with our Belgian students.

In modern history, M. Muller was occupied with the war of the succession in Spain. I heard him discuss the merits and deföcts of the great works of Micrnet and von Noorden. The colonial policy of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the decline of Spain, the conquests of Louis XIV and the state of feeling in Alsace, Flanders and Hainault at the time of their annexation, the toll-system, etc., were treated by the professor with great clearness and solid acquaintance with the subject. M. Muller often referred to the physical and historical maps, a rich collection of which was at his disposal. He had four pupils.

These maps naturally form an indispensable instrument of a course in political geography. M. Muller was at that time dealing with Brittany and the basin of the Charente. He related first, in broad outline, all the vicissitudes through which