Untitled - Electric Scotland

70 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. in.
attested by the following testimonial which was given to
him three years afterwards, when a candidate for the
Head-mastership of Rugby :-
From Dr. F. G. Sommer, Professor at Bonn.
"The Rev. A. C. Tait came here in the year 1839, at which
time I first made his personal acquaintance. His object was to
inform himself more nearly concerning the state of German litera
ture and education, especially to become acquainted with our
Prussian University system and methods of instruction, and also
to form lasting connections with German men of letters and Pro
fessors. This aim he accomplished with the happiest results
during his residence here of three months, and afterwards by a
literary journey to Germany. Intimately versed in our language,
of which he became master partly by the study of our literature,
partly by the personal intercourse with Germans, he was enabled
to attend the lectures in our University; and I have often re
marked in our discussions the great interest which he took in
and his intimacy with those subjects. This practical information
of the method of instruction pursued by us Mr. Tait perfected
by means of his acquaintance and literary intercourse with several
of our most eminent Professors, through whom he became theo
retically informed of the whole system and views of our Univer
sities. . . . He did not less turn his attention to other Institutes
of Education in our country. He was introduced into the
different classes of the Gymnasium, and learned in this way, by
his own experience, the arrangements, method, and extent of
instruction in our schools. . . .
"
I hope to have shown that Mr. Tait spared neither time nor
pains to become acquainted with the system of education pursued
in the Prussian dominions. I sign myself, Gentlemen, your
obedient, humble servant,
"
F. G. SOMMER,
"
Licentiate and Docent of Protestant Divinity in
the University of Bonn."
On leaving Bonn he travelled for several weeks
with two German Professors, visiting their homes, and
sedulously gathering and tabulating precise information
as to the various systems of German education both for