regard of all the clergy and the most devout
among the inhabitants of the town. His
political opinions were liberal; but never
went beyond those which were commonly
entertained at the time by nearly all men of
education. He studied divinity at the
University, where he greatly distinguished
himself in various branches of learning, and
obtained the degree of Doctor in Philosophy.
He first preached at Cologne, and with
great success, his oratory being considered as
brilliant as his reasonings were convincing.
His sermons were subsequently published,
and became very popular, and he was chosen
as a teacher of Theology in the University of
Bonn.
He next turned his attention to the study
of the Arts. On this subject he wrote and
published a History, and lectured on " Ancient
and Mediæval Art," both in the University
and other public institutions, with unparalleled
success and applause.
His labours at this period, and for a long
time after, were very arduous, generally
occupying thirteen hours a day. Being only what
is called a "privat-docent," he did not as
yet receive any salary at the University; he
was therefore compelled to work hard in
various ways, in order to make a small
income. However, he did this very cheerfully.
But his abandonment of Theology for these
new studies, caused him the loss of most of
his devout friends. They shook their heads,
and feared that the change denoted a step
awry from the true and severely marked
line of orthodox opinions. They were right;
for he soon after said that he thought the
purity of religion would be best attained by a
separation of Church and State!
Dr. Kinkel suffers no small odium for this;
but he can endure it. He has uttered an
honest sentiment, resulting from his past
studies; he has become a highly applauded
and deservedly esteemed lecturer on another
subject; he is, moreover, one of the best
sliders in Bonn, and is now balancing his tall
figure (as just described) with books under
one arm, on his way to the University.
Happy Gottfried Kinkel!–––may you have
health and strength to slide for many a good
winter to come!–––rare Doctor of Philosophy,
to feel so much boyish vitality after twenty
years of hard study and seclusion!–––fortunate
lecturer on Archaeology, to live in a country
where the simplicity of manners will allow a
Professor to slide his way to his class, without
danger of being reproved by his grave and
potent seniors, or of shocking the respectable
inhabitants of his town!
PICTURE THE SECOND.
The Castle of Popplesdorf commands the
most beautiful views of some of the most
beautiful parts of Rhenish Prussia; and the
very best point from which to look at them,
is the window of the room that used to be the
study of Dr. Gottfried Kinkel. That used to
be–––and is not now––– alas, the day! But we
must not anticipate evils; they will come
only too soon in their natural course.
In this room, his library and study, we
called to see Dr. Kinkel. There he sat–––
dressing-gown, slippers, and cloud-compelling
pipe. The walls were all shelves, the shelves
all books,–––some bound, some in boards,
"some in rags, and some in jags,"–––together
with papers, maps, and scientific instruments
of brass and of steel. There stood the Hebrew,
Greek, and Roman authors; in another
division, the Italian and French: on the other
side, in long irregular ranges, the old German
and the modern German; and near at hand,
the Anglo-Saxon and English. What else,
and there was much, we had not time to note,
being called to look out at the window. What
a window it was!–––a simple wooden frame to
what exquisite and various scenery! Let the
reader bear in mind, that it is not winter now
–––but a bright morning in May.
Close beneath the window lay the Botanic
Gardens, with their numerous parterres of
flowers, their lines and divisions of shrubs and
herbs. Within a range of a few miles round,
we looked out upon the peaceful little villages
of Popplesdorf and Kessenich, and the fertile
plain extending from Bonn to Godesberg–––
with gentle hills, vales, and ridges, all covered
with vineyards, whose young leaves gave a
tender greenness and fresh look of bright and
joyous childhood to the scenery. Beyond
them we saw the Kessenicher Höhe, the blue
slate roofs and steeples of many a little church
and chapel, and the broad, clear, serpent
windings of the Rhine, with the grey and
purple range, in the distance, of the Seven
Mountains, terminating with the Drachenfels.
Over the whole of this, with the exception
only of such soft, delicate, shades and shadows
as were needful to display the rest, there lay
a clear expanse of level sunshine, so tender,
bright, and moveless, as to convey an
impression of bright enchantment, which grew
upon your gaze, and out of which rapture you
awoke as from a dream of fairy land, or from
the contemplation of a scene in some ideal
sphere.
Fortunate Dr. Kinkel, to have such a
window as this! It was no wonder that,
besides his studies in Theology, in ancient and
mediaeval art, and in ancient and modern
languages–––besides writing his History of the
Arts, and contributing learned papers to
various periodicals–––besides preaching,
lecturing, and public and private teaching, his
soul was obliged to compose a volume of poems
–––and again displease the severely orthodox,
by the absence of all prayers in verse, and the
presence of a devout love of nature.
For, here, in their placidity,
Learning and Poesy abide;
Not slumbering on the unfathomed sea,
Yet all unconscious of the tide
That urges on mortality
In eddies, and in circles wide.
Dickens Journals Online