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lenkig und züh beweisen die Engländer, zu welcher Höhe eine gesunde Lebensweise den germanischen Stamm entwickeln kann. Nur ein Pharisäer kann sich gegen diese Einsicht. verschliessen. Aber leider fehlt es uns nicht an Pharisäern, welche einen chauvinistischen Dünkel statt des Patriotismus pflegen.“¹

Since a few years, the truth of this begins to be felt in Germany. In 1883, an Association was started in Görlitz, which aims at the introduction of physical games in our educational system. Under the leadership of Mr. von Schenckendorff and the Director of the Gymnasium of Görlitz, Dr. Eitner, these„Jugendspiele“ have been systematically practised and have met with great success. Also in other towns, amongst which Braunschweig must be mentioned, such experiments have been successfully made. Vivant sequentes!

Our German boys, however, are by no means unable to distinguish themselves in physical exercises. They show that especially in their military service— a blessing for our nation! They show it also in gymnastics, in which branch they surpass English boys by far, but in spite of that, these advantages do not equal the salutary influence of the English games. Mr. Fitch says:„Our children have, perhaps, less of regulated gymnastics, but physical exercise of a free, joyous character is far more common in English grounds than in continental playgrounds.“¹²

We must, however, not forget that, in general, the English have gone too far lately in the development of physical strength, and that they neglect too much that of the mental capacities. Even Mr. Raydt is obliged to pass some restrictions on to the salutary influence of games in England.¹ It is not to be doubted that the attention of the pupils is diverted by the daily games. The English boy still thinks it a greater glory to be the first in cricket than the first in learning, and his ambition is often developed in a wrong direction.

These faults are not to be denied, and I am the last to do so, but in spite of them, the English games, reasonably cultivated, are— taken all round— a great blessing to a nation. The chief object of education is the development of the character of a child and of its physical forces. Let nobody think that I make light of the necessary perfection of the mental forces. It may be a commonplace to say that these different sides of education must be combined in a harmonizing way. I know very well it is difficult to find this right measure. Mr. Raydt most rightly says:„Gelänge es einer Schule, deutsche Idealität, Gemüts- leben und wissenschaftliche Gründlichkeit mit englischer Charakterbildung, körperlicher Kraft, Energie und Entschlossenheit zu vereinigen, so könnte damit eine Musteranstalt für die ganze Welt geschaffen werden.“¹4 A German does not develop his physical, an Eng- lishman not his mental forces sufficiently. A German boy of 18 surpasses by far an English boy of the same age in learning and knowledge, but the latter is more vigorous, more inde- pendent, more able to afterwards make his way in the world. He possesses the full vigour, freshness, and energy to develop his mental forces, and we find very often that he does so, and he does so, he surpasses the German. Again and again, let us learn something in this regard from the practical English Nation for the blessing and perfection of our„dear fatherland.“

There are in England a larger number of Germans than of any other foreign nation, residing there chiefly for commercial reasons, and the number of those who learn the language and study the customs of the English, is not small. Many of them, however, are not provided with sufficient means to make a prolonged stay in England, and they are, un- happily, forced to look for a situation. So the German clerks compete strongly with the English and are, therefore, very soundly hated by them. I do not pretend to Judge about the abilities of one or the other, as I have too little experience in this regard, but it is a fact that the majority of German clerks work cheaper and longer than their English colleagues.

i See Güssfeldt, Erziehung der deutschen Jugend. 1890. Page 142. ² Parliamentary Papers. Vol. 30. 1887. Page 612.

² Page 146, 149, 150.

* Page 235.