from participating in the advantages enjoyed there by many who had probably far less reverence for knowledge. What bliss would it have been to have exchanged places with some miserable truant, whose slow brains were so jaded with immeasurable taskwork as to be in danger of being crushed by the burthens laid on them, and to whom the very name of "school" was grown an abomination, suggesting only an everlasting weariness, like that of Sisyphus in the dreary shades, rolling his huge stone up to the mountain-top, to return for ever on his head !

However, the Fates are sometimes generous, and even that which we most despair of shall now and then, by some rare and unexpected accident, turn out an actual event. An eccentric clergyman, who was Heyne's second godfather, came by chance to hear of the boy's unusual anxiety after learning, and had the curiosity to send for him, for the purpose of testing both his knowledge and capability by an examination. The result was satisfactory, and the good parson promised that he "should go to the town school,” and that he himself would pay the charges. What a sudden turn of happiness for Heyne! He declares it to be impossible to express the joy which ravished him on that occasion. Away, then, is he despatched to the "first teacher,” is examined in customary form, and “placed with approbation in the second class." The second class, however, having conceited notions of its respectability, almost declines to tolerate the poor boy's presence. "Weakly from infancy," says he, "pressed down with want and sorrow, having never had any cheerful enjoyment of childhood or of youth, I was still but small in stature, and my class-fellows, judging by appearances, had a very slight opinion of me." Nevertheless, "various proofs of diligence," and praises from the master, gradually convince the fellows that he is worthy of his place. His diligence, indeed, was not a little hampered by want of books. Sebastian Seydel, the eccentric clergyman, appears to have kept his promise somewhat too closely to the letter: he paid the quarterly fees, provided the pupil with the requisite blue cloak-rather a coarse one, says Heyne, but perhaps not on that account the worse for use-and gave him a multitude of useless volumes that were lying on his shelves; but to supply him with appropriate and sufficient school-books was not in the bond. The truth is, the eccentric Sebastian was

often short of cash, and had need at all times to exercise a rather rigid thrift. A man of magnificent liberality of intention, but of insufficient means, he appears to have been as charitable as he could well afford to be; and his memory is worthy of respect among poor students every where, as one who really helped a brother scholar in extremity, when richer, and probably more highly "respectable," persons turned indifferently away, and, like the Levite of the parable, "passed by on the other side."

To meet the inequalities of his situation, Heyne had every day to borrow the books of some of his class-fellows, and to copy out such parts as were assigned for the lesson; a practice which, though it kept him in a manner always more or less dependent, was not unserviceable so far as his progress in study was concerned. On the other hand, the honest Seydel would exercise a rigorous supervision of his proceedings, and gave him from time to time certain hours of instruction in the Latin tongue. Sebastian in his youth had learned to make Latin verses, and it seemed to him that the grandest accomplishment of a classical education was even that of making Latin verses. Accordingly, Heyne had to adjust himself to this Egyptian taskwork of brick-making without straw. 66 Scarcely," says he, “ was Erasmus de Civilitate Morum' got over, when I, too, must take to versemaking, and all this before I had read any authors, or could possibly possess a suitable store of words." There is every evidence that the good Sebastian was a pedant-a meagre, contracted man, whose meaning might be well enough, but whose insight cannot be honestly commended. He was also, says Heyne, "passionate and rigorous-in every point repulsive;" a stiff-necked, self-willed, desperate "old bachelor," and vain to absurdity of his ridiculous gift of Latinity. "These qualities of his," continues Heyne, "all contributed to overload my youth, and nip away in the bud every enjoyment of its pleasures.'

While thus burthened and depressed by the Sebastian task-labours, he was likewise impeded and held down by almost every sort of want, vexation, and discouragement. "The school-course was bad: nothing but the old routine— vocables, translations, exercises; all without spirit or any proper purpose." Still, so far as the virtue of such matters went, he appears to have made a very excellent proficiency.

In the course of time he became competent to write both Latin and Greek verses, and could even render in that shape the "discourses which he heard at church." Some " ray of hope" thereupon began to shine within his mind. A certain small degree of self-respect and self-confidence was also now awakened in him by his success in a school examination, conducted in the presence of the superintendent or chief inspector of schools, who happened to call in his vocation at the Chemnitz Grammar-school. Dr. Theodor Krüger, as Heyne informs us, was "a theologian of some learning for his time;" and while at his visit the rector was teaching ex cathedra, the doctor suddenly interrupted him, and put the question, who among the scholars could tell him what might be made by way of anagram from the word Austria ? It seems that this whim had entered the inspector's head from the circumstance that the "first Silesian war" was just begun, and some such anagram, reckoned extremely happy, had recently appeared in a certain newspaper. None of the boys knew what an anagram really was the very rector looked blank, and considerably perplexed. As none answered, however, he began to give "a description of anagrams in general." Heyne instantly set himself to work, and sprung forth with his discovery-Vastari! This differed somewhat from the newspaper one, and of course was all the better. "So much greater was the superintendent's admiration ; and the more, as the successful aspirant was a little boy on the lowest bench of the secunda." Dr. Theodor growled applause; but in so doing he set the entire school about the ears of Heyne, "as he stoutly upbraided them with being beaten by an infimus."

It was this "pedantic adventure," as Heyne calls it, which first gave an impulse to the development of his powers. He began to take some little credit for himself, and in spite of all the oppression and contempt in which he languished, resolved on struggling forward. Still he says, this first struggle was sadly ineffectual-was soon, indeed, regarded as a piece of mere conceit, and brought on him " a thousand humiliations and disquietudes." The perverse way, too, in which the old parson treated him-the discontent of his parents, and especially of his father, who thought that, had the boy stuck by weaving, the household might have been to some extent improved in circumstances-the pressure of

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want, and the almost grudging entertainment he received at home-the feeling of backwardness and degradation which accompanied him continually-all this would allow of "no cheerful thought, no sentiment of worth," to spring up within bim for the adornment or elevation of his nature. timorous, bashful, awkward carriage shut me out still farther from all exterior attractions. Where could I learn good manners, elegance, a right way of thought? Where could I attain any culture for heart and spirit?" Upwards, however, he still strove with resolution. "A feeling of honour, a wish for something better, an effort to work myself out of this abasement, incessantly attended me; but being without direction, it led me for the most part into clownishness, sullenness, and misanthropy." At length, by a favourable turn of circumstance, a place was opened for him where some training in these respects became obtainable. There was a young gentleman, lately introduced into society, at the "west end" of Chemnitz, for whom his friends desired a little private instruction in the languages. He was too select a personage to be sent to school, and not old enough for college; therefore it came to pass that Heyne, being heard of and recommended, was chosen for his temporary tutor. "As these private lessons brought me in a gulden monthly (that is to say, about two-and-sixpence sterling), I now began to defend myself a little against the grumbling of my parents. Hitherto I had been in the habit of doing work occasionally, that I might not be told I contributed nothing to the earning of my bread; clothes and oil for my lamp I had earned by teaching in the house; these things I could now relinquish; and thus my condition was in some degree improved. On the other hand, I had the opportunity of seeing persons of better education. I gained the good-will of the family; so that, besides the lesson hours, I generally lived there. Such society afforded me some culture, extended my conceptions and opinions, and also polished a little the rudeness of my exterior."

In this new situation Heyne appears to have had at least some partial enjoyment of existence. Indeed he fell privately in love with his pupil's sister, made and destroyed innumerable Greek and Latin verses in celebration of her charms, and had the audacity to "dream of sometime rising high enough to be worthy of her." This, however,

was but a flattering delusion, though he did succeed in acquiring the friendship both of herself and of her mother. The grand concern which meanwhile occupied his thoughts was, how he should be able to get to the university at Leipzig. Old Sebastian, with his munificent "liberality of intention," had promised to stand good on this occasion; and it is thought he would have done so with the greatest pleasure, had it cost him nothing; as it was, he merely gave extremely liberal promises, but could not by any device be brought to produce a fraction of hard cash; and elsewhere for Heyne there was no resource. At length, wearied, it is surmised by the youth's importunity, he determined to bestir himself; and accordingly he directed his assistant, who was then going to Leipzig, to conduct Heyne thither the latter doubting not but at the end of the journey something pleasant would turn up. The two arrived in safety; but when the anxious student made inquiries respecting the arrangements which he supposed his patron had made for him at college, he found noue whatever had been made, and moreover, that there was not a groschen of money provided to meet any of his necessities. This information the assistant gave him, and then left him at a lodging-house, declaring that any thing further was not in his commission,

Heyne had in his pocket exactly two gulden, and not the slightest prospect of obtaining any more when these should be expended. Starvation stood visibly before him at not many days' distance. A youth without connections, in a strange place, shabbily attired, and destitute of books, with simply five shillings in his purse, he found himself set down at the threshold of Leipzig University, "to study all learning," and build his fortunes out of chaos. No wonder that sheer despondency at first overmastered him. He speedily fell sick; and, as he says, recovered only "to fall into conditions of life wherein he became the prey of desperation." All the miseries which, from ages immemorial, the "poor scholar" has been heir to, were now, for long years, to be his only portion. How he contrived to live, much more how he managed to study, it is utterly impossible to make out. The hapless Sebastian Seydel, it appears, did occasionally send some churlish pittance, but never until "after unspeakable solicitations," and then "in quantities that were consumed by inextinguishable debt," and commonly accompanied by