that it was formerly the especial care of the
heads of each guild, to see that no disreputable
persons became members of the trade; and
illegitimate children, and even the lawful
offspring of shepherds, bailiffs, and town
servants were carefully excluded. This practice
exists no longer, except in some few
insignificant places; but the law is still very
general which says that no workman can
become a master who has not fulfilled every
regulation imposed by his guild; that is to
say, he must have been apprenticed at the
proper age to a properly-constituted master;
must have regularly completed his period of
apprenticeship, and have passed the appointed
time in travel. The worst part of all these
regulations is, that, as they vary in almost
every state, the unfortunate wanderer has
to conform to a new set of laws in every
new land he enters.

One other regulation is almost universal.
Each guild must have a place of meeting; not
a sumptuous hall, but mere accommodation in
a public-house. It is called the "Herberge,"
and answers, in many respects, to our "House
of Call." This is the weary traveller's place of
rest—he can claim a shelter here; indeed, in
most cases, he dares sleep nowhere else.
Here also the guild holds its quarterly
meetings. By way of illustration, let us take
the Goldsmiths' Herberge in Hamburgh; the
"Stadt Bremen " is the sign of the house.
In it, the goldsmiths use a large, rectangular
apartment, furnished with a few rough tables
and chairs, and a wooden bench running round
its four walls. On the tables are arranged
long clay pipes, and in the centre of each
table is a small dish of what the uninitiated
might take to be dried tea-leaves. This is
uncut tobacco, which the host, the father
of the House of Call, is bound to provide.
The secretary and messenger of the guild
of goldsmiths are there, together with one or
two of the "Altgesellen" (elder journeymen),
who perform the active part of the duties of
the guild. The minutes of the last meeting,
and the incidents of the quarter— possibly,
also, an abstract of the rules— having been
read, and new officers, to supersede those who
retire, having been balloted for, the business
of the evening closes. Then commences a
confusion of tongues; for here are congregated
Russians, Hungarians, Danes, Hamburghers,
Prussians, Austrians; possibly there may be
found here a member of every state in the
German Union. None are silent, and the
dialect of each is distinct. Assiduously, in the
pauses of his private conversation, every man
smokes his long pipe, and drinks his beer or
punch. Presently two female harp-players
enter—sources of refreshment quite as popular
in Hamburgh as the punch. They strike up
an infatuating waltz. The effect is wonderful.
Two or three couples (men waltzing with men,
of course) are immediately on their feet,
scrambling, kicking, and scraping round the
room; hugging each other in the most
awkward manner. Chairs and tables are huddled
into corners; for the mania has seized upon
two-thirds of the company. The rest cannot
forsake their beer, but congregate in the
corners, and yell, and scream toasts and
"Lebe-hoch!" till they are hoarse.

Two girls enter, with trifling articles of male
attire for sale; stocks, pomatum, brushes, and
beard-wax; but the said damsels are
immediately pounced upon for partners. In the
intervals of the music a grand tournament
takes place; the weapons being clay-pipes,
which are speedily shattered into a thousand
pieces, and strewn about the room to facilitate
dancing. Such a scene of shuffling, whirling,
shouting, and pipe-crunching could scarcely
be seen elsewhere.

We will take a German youth destined
to become an artisan, and endeavour to
follow him through the complication of
conflicting usages of which he stands the ordeal.
Hans is fourteen years of age, and has
just left school with a decent education.
Hans has his trade and master chosen
for him; is taken before the heads of the
guild, and his indenture duly signed and
sealed in their presence; they themselves
witnessing the document. His term of
apprenticeship is probably four years, perhaps
six; a premium is seldom given, and when
it is, it shortens the period of apprenticeship.
The indenture, together with a certificate of
baptism, in some cases that of confirmation
(which ceremony serves as an important epoch
in Germany), and even a documentary proof
of vaccination, are deposited in the coffers of
the guild, and kept at the Herberge for future
reference.

Obedience to elders and superiors is the one
great duty inculcated in the minds of all
Germans, and Hans is taught to look upon
his master as a second father; to
consider short commons as a regulation for his
especial good, and to bear cuffing—if he
should fall in the way of it—patiently. If he
be an apprentice in Vienna, he may possibly
breakfast upon a hunch of brown bread, and
an unlimited supply of water; dine upon a
thin soup and a block of tasteless, fresh boiled
beef; and sup upon a cold crust. He may
fare better or worse; but, as a general rule,
he will sleep in a vile hole, will look upon
coffee and butter as undeniable luxuries, and
know the weight of his master's hand.

Hans has one great source of pleasure.
There is a state school, which he attends on
Sundays, and where he is instructed in drawing
and modelling. In his future travels, he
will find the advantage he has acquired over
less educated mechanics in this necessary
knowledge; and should he come to England,
he will discover that his skill as a draughtsman
will place him at once in a position
superior to that of the chance-taught workmen
about him. He completes his
apprenticeship without attempting to run away.
That is practically impossible; but he yearns,