“Come thou bright sword, now made holy,
      Of free men the weapon free;
    Bring it solemnly and slowly,
      Heavy with pierced caps, to me! 
    From its burden now divest it;
      Brothers be ye covered all,
      And till our next festival,
    Hallowed and unspotted rest it!

    “Up, ye feast companions! ever
      Honor ye our holy band! 
    And with heart and soul endeavor
      E’er as high-souled men to stand! 
    Up to feast, ye men united! 
      Worthy be your fathers’ fame,
      And the sword may no one claim,
    Who to honor is not plighted!”

Then each President, taking a cap of his sword, reached it to the student opposite, and they crossed their swords, the ends resting on the two students’ heads, while they sang the next stanza: 

    “So take it back; thy head I now will cover
      And stretch the bright sword over. 
    Live also then this Bursche, hoch! 
      Wherever we may meet him,
      Will we, as Brother greet him—­
    Live also this, our Brother, hoch!”

This ceremony was repeated till all the caps were given back, and they then concluded with the following: 

    “Rest, the Bursehen-feast is over,
      Hallowed sword and thou art free! 
    Each one strive a valiant lover
      Of his fatherland to be! 
    Hail to him, who, glory-haunted,
      Follows still his fathers bold;
      And the sword may no one hold
    But the noble and undaunted!”

The Landsfather being over, the students were less orderly; the smoking and drinking began again and we left, as it was already eleven o’clock, glad to breathe the pure cold air.

In the University I heard Gervinus, who was formerly professor in Gottingen, but was obliged to leave on account of his liberal principles.  He is much liked by the students and his lectures are very well attended.  They had this winter a torchlight procession in honor of him.  He is a stout, round-faced man, speaks very fast, and makes them laugh continually with his witty remarks.  In the room I saw a son of Ruckert, the poet, with a face strikingly like his father’s.  The next evening I went to hear Schlosser, the great historian.  Among his pupils are the two princes of Baden, who are now at the University.  He came hurriedly in, threw down his portfolio and began instantly to speak.  He is an old, gray-headed man, but still active and full of energy.  The Germans find him exceedingly difficult to understand, as he is said to use the English construction almost entirely; for this reason, perhaps, I understood him quite easily.  He lectures on the French Revolution, but is engaged in writing a Universal History, the first numbers of which are published.