most wonderful feature is that whereby, amid all the constant changes which living and being involve, the animal or plant should preserve and retain the form in which it was, so to speak, originally limned.
A study of the denizens of a stagnant pool may thus be shown to lead up, unconsciously it may be, but also naturally, to some matters of weighty consideration and interest, even to the most unscientific of observers. And it will be found not the least characteristic and valuable feature of all such studies, that they serve as literal starting-points and as vantage-grounds whence we may shape an intellectual course, leading us by many and diverse radii from limited perceptions and finite aims, outwards and upwards to the infinite itself.
GERMAN SOCIETY FORTY YEARS SINCE.
In 1841-3 Mrs. Austin was in Germany, and met most of the celebrated men and women of that epoch. Some of the stories jotted down by her during a prolonged residence in Dresden and Berlin seem too good to be lost, while others show considerable insight into German life. The brothers Grimm appear to have been the most sympathetic people she met in Berlin. About Jacob Grimm she writes thus:
"His exterior is striking and engaging. He has the shyness and simplicity of a German man of letters, but without any of the awkward, uncouth air which is too common among them. His is a noble, refined head, full of intelligence, thought, and benevolence, and his whole exterior is full of grandeur — at the same time perfectly simple. Wilhelm is also a fine-looking man, younger, fatter, and more highly-colored; less imposing, less refined, but with a charming air of good nature, bonhomie and sense. His wife is also very pleasing. I met him one night at tea, and we began talking of fairy tales; I said, 'Your children appear to me the happiest in the world; they live in the midst of Mährchen (fairy-tales).' 'Ah,' said he, 'I must tell you about that. When we were at Göttingen somebody spoke to my little son about his father's Mährchen. He came running to me and said with an offended air, "Vater, man sagt du hast die Mährchen geschrieben — nicht wahr, du hast nicht solches Dummezeug gemacht?" ("Father, people say that you have written the fairy tales — surely you never invented such rubbish?") 'He thought it below my dignity,' said Grimm. Somehow the child had never seen or attended to the fact of his father's authorship."
Another story of Grimm's: —
"When I was a young man I was walking one day and saw an officer in the old-fashioned uniform. It was under the old elector. The officers still wore pigtails, cocked hats set over one eye, high neckcloths, and coats buttoned back. As he was walking stiffly along, a groom came by riding a horse which he appeared to be breaking in. 'What mare is that you are riding?' called out the major with an authoritative, disdainful air. 'She belongs to Prince George,' answered the groom. 'A———h!' said the major, raising his hand reverentially to his hat with a military salute, and bowing low to the mare. I told this story," continued Grimm, "to Prince B., thinking to make him laugh. But he looked grave, and said, with quite a tragic tone of voice, 'Ah, that feeling is no longer to be found!'"
"Jacob Grimm told me a Volksmährchen too: —
"'St. Anselm was grown old and infirm, and lay on the ground among thorns and thistles. Der liebe Gott said to him, "You are very badly lodged there; why don't you build yourself a house?" "Before I take the trouble," said Anselm, "I should like to know how long I have to live." "About thirty years," said der liebe Gott. "Oh, for so short a time," replied he, "it's not worth while," and turned himself round among the thistles.'
"Bettina von Arnim called, and we had a tête-à-tête of two hours. Her conversation is that of a clever woman, with some originality, great conceit, and vast unconscious ignorance. Her sentiments have a bold and noble character. We talked about crime, punishment, prisons, education, law of divorce, etc., etc. Gleams of truth and sense, clouds of nonsense — all tumbled out with equally undoubting confidence. Occasional great fidelity of expression. Talking of the so-called happiness and security of ordinary marriages in Germany, she said, 'Qu'est que cela me fait? Est-ce que je me soucie de ces nids qu'on arrange pour propager?' I laughed out; one must admit that the expression is most happy. She talked of the ministers with great contempt, and said, 'here is not a man in Germany; have you seen one for whom you could feel any enthusiasm? They are all like frogs in a big
