The Student Life of Germany Part 38

As nothing had occurred now all is silent; The bells have pealed out, the songs are ended.

_Uhland_.

We have deferred the description of a torch-train, which is, on solemn or festive occasions, conducted in honour of a professor, etc., to this chapter; and it is only necessary here to remark, that on these occasions, the mourning attributes and contingencies of course being absent, the general arrangement and proceeding is the same.

Only such students who have distinguished themselves in a Ch.o.r.e, and are on that account well known to the whole student body, are buried with the honour of a torch-train. Others are interred in the day, and the attendants follow either on foot or in mourning coaches. The permission for a torch-train must always be obtained from the Academical Senate.

The students in like manner join themselves to the funeral train of a teacher of the university, with the rest of the members of the High-school, as well as other mourners. If it be that of a professor little known or little esteemed, only those of his own faculty attend; but if it be the funeral of a man distinguished for his eminent talents as a teacher, for the excellence of his character, and for his services to the university, they scarcely omit one of their number.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE COMITAT.

But we have hitherto only turned our attention to the images of death; let us now accompany the more happy youth who sails out of the joyful Burschen world into Philisterium, on his progress. During the student period, the academician generally far separated from his connexions, sometimes pays them a visit in the vacation.

And when again he visits us!--O G.o.d! my wish is won!

I see him with his black mustache the real Muses' son!

"The Ferien[48] now ended--I must away--adieu!

And now until I've finished, I come no more to you."

If the student always so lived as during the whole last year or half-year of his university-life, we might have been spared the labour of writing the tenth and other chapters of our volume. There he sits now, in his solitary little room. Instead of frolicksome brothers, the old folios surround him; he has even forgot the Commersing, and instead of that he sips his cup of coffee, in order again to revive the exhausted spirit of his life. His duelling wrath is directed against the flies that disturb him in his studies, and his pipe is the only friend that cheers his spirit in his solitude.

Students who have lived jovially, are accustomed to denote that they have arrived at this melancholy termination of their campaign by exchanging the cap for the Philistine hat, and their cronies are reasonable enough then to perceive, that n.o.body may disturb them in these their arduous exertions, as, indeed, the Burschen-life cannot last for ever. After these glorious exertions, the son of the Muses plunges boldly into the doctoral examination. This is partly made in writing, partly orally, and is conducted under the superintendence of the Dean, who also selects the questions, to which the youth under examination, isolated in a room of the Dean's house, gives his answers.

The examination is seldom closed under a week; after which he receives, as its result, from the examining professors of the faculty, one of the usual degrees of the university, unless his acquirements have been so indifferent, that his evil-star, as the students say, has caused him to fall through.

The usual degrees are these four--"Summa c.u.m laude;" "Praeclara c.u.m laude;" "Insigni c.u.m laude;" "Magno c.u.m laude;" (feliciter evasit, as the student jocosely says.) In most states the doctoral examination precedes the state examination, and the examinee acquires the right to be admitted to the latter when he has pa.s.sed his doctoral examination, and has written a dissertation. In other states, as in Baden, the reverse is the fact.

Is the new doctor then dubbed?--he has sworn his oath on the fasces, and he hastens to announce this new distinction to his delighted connexions, and to apprise them of his speedy return home.

See! Father, see! a letter! his student days are done, A Doctor they've created, with high applause, thy son.

By the next post, so writes he, to-morrow e'en to dine!

He comes--"Then, mother, fetch thou thy last flask of good wine."

_Chamisso_.

When now the quondam Bursch returns home, in order then to prepare himself to pa.s.s the State's examination, the portal of Philisterium, his university companions accompany him in procession out of the city.

This accompaniment they call the Comitat.

What rings and sings in the street out there!

Open the windows, ye maids so fair.

'Tis the Bursche, away he wendeth-- The Comitat him attendeth.

_Uhland_.

Such a comitat was, in former times, more stately and striking than at present. Before rode in Kollar and Kanonen, that is, in buckskins and jack-boots, the a.s.sembled Ch.o.r.e-brothers, wearing the Ch.o.r.e-caps and bands, in their right hands their drawn swords. Then followed in a carriage with four or six horses, the senior in the fullest gala dress, and wearing the storm-hat, and holding two crossed swords. Then followed in a carriage drawn by the same number of horses, the Departing Bursch. He sate on the left side in the old Burschen dress, with the old cap on, while on his right hand sate two Foxes, dressed in the highest gala uniform, who were attending on him with the greatest a.s.siduity, performing every possible service for him, especially in lighting his pipe for him. On each side of the carriage was generally wont a student also to ride. The rest of the students who joined the procession, now followed in two-horse carriages, and the Pawk-doctor did not fail to appear in the train. The train-closer came last, in the style in which we have before described him, either on horseback with his drawn sword, or in a carriage holding the crossed swords. So moved on the picturesque procession to the next place, where they once more a.s.sembled themselves to enjoy the Burschen-life. Finally, the Mossy Bursch must say a last farewell to the university city; finally, must he tear himself from the arms of his companions, and hasten towards his home. He carries with him out of the city of the Muses many a delightful remembrance, and brings to his parents and relations, to whose arms he returns, as the testimony of his scientific acquirements, the diploma of Doctor.

THE OLD BURSCH.

Think'st thou thereon how in the Burschen season, So light and free, life unto thee did show?

Think'st thou thereon--how, and with fullest reason, Lovely it seemed to feel young friends.h.i.+p's glow?

Rememb'rest then, what glad throngs thou didst see soon As Brothers greet thee--true in joy and wo?

When near us lies nor foul deceit could won?-- Speak, Ancient House! oh! think'st thou yet thereon?

Rememberest thou, the good old time and tide then, In German coat, long hair, and open breast; Heft under arm,[49] the rapier by the side then, With zeal and courage we in college pressed, And fought our way all through the deep-and-wide fen, Of the most learned lecturer's wild-goose quest.

Then by conceit nor rank imposed upon?-- Speak, Ancient House,--oh! think'st thou yet thereon?

Thinkest thou yet how the Philistines feared, Yet still gave credit when the Bursche came; To the Prorector when with plaints they fared, The Landsmannschaft did straight the Bann proclaim?

Thinkest thou yet how boldly then we dared With lovely maids, who still, so mild, so tame-- How in Commers to heaven we have gone-- Speak, Ancient House! oh! think'st thou yet thereon?

Rememberest thou each tragi-comic action-- How we did fight, since I had thee touchirt?

But when the bleeding wound gave satisfaction, How heartier than ever we smollirt?

And how we then, both true unto our paction, In Carcer two long moons each other cheered?

In Carcer even clinked gla.s.ses,--cared for none?

Speak, Ancient House! oh! think'st thou yet thereon!

I think thereon! oh! ne'er shall I forget it!

The good, the dear, the ancient Burschentide!

Oh! that 'tis gone! that heaven each brief term set it!

East, west, the brothers scattered on each side!

And villany! since then I oft have met it!

Yes, life disgusts me--all so cold and wide!

Courage, Old House! sing "Gaudeamus" on!

Canst "thou" it yet? Ah! G.o.d! I think thereon!

CHAPTER XXIV.

SUMMARY OF THE ACTUAL MERITS AND DEMERITS OF STUDENT LIFE.

Prove all things; and hold fast that which is good.

The life and habits of the student are closed with the last chapter. We have accompanied him from the time when he advanced from the school into the free atmosphere of the university, till that in which, turning his back on the joyful Burschen-world, he sailed forth into the Philisterium. The English reader has attended us on a progress through a strange country, which lay so near him, and yet was so enigmatical to him; and we hope that his trouble has not proved irksome to him. It is true that the Student-life has its rough and eccentric side; and this, as falling most prominently under the eye, has not escaped the foreigner. On the other hand, many have endeavoured, in their writings, to represent these in the most exaggerated manner. But the Student-life has also a beautiful and a poetical side, and this many do not think worthy of their time and attention, while others have no sentiment for it, and therefore no perception of it. When, moreover, in English periodicals are exhibited such caricatures and calumnious portraitures as genuine delineations of what would be, truly, very singular proceedings and persons; if the reader has carried away with him these as true, because they have been written in Germany and with an air of authority, we need not wonder that he turns from these monstrous and bizarre pictures with shuddering and contempt, and if he laugh at the folly and reprobate the immorality of the German youth. But after we have sketched the true features of German Student-life, we leave it to the reader to make his reflections upon it, and to extract the grains of wheat from the chaff.

There remain for us, however, still several questions which the more particularly demand answers, because hereupon the most singular notions prevail. What gains the student by this academical life? What does he carry with him out of it? and what does he leave behind in it? and what becomes of him next!