e said, that on ending his work. He saw that it was
good. The absolute mind can alone effect that the created existence
shall correspond to the creative thought, the actual to the ideal; the
finite mind must always have over it the idea of what it can do, and
what it ought to do.

Whenever Eric came to the professor with any scientific inquiry, he
received at once direction as to the best and most direct sources of
information; he would even, with the greatest disinterestedness, place
at the disposal of every one his own carefully prepared notes. It was
the same to him whether it were published under his own name or under
that of another person, provided it went forth to the world.

In the professor's study was a picture by Rembrandt, a small
copper-plate engraving, which was almost a portrait of the professor
himself. It represented Faust in his night-cap, gazing at the magic
circle illuminated by its own light. Faust is an old, wizzled-up little
man, sorely in need of the rejuvenating draught. Professor Einsiedel
had no such magic potion, but he drank new life, every day, from the
ancient classics.

When Eric now called upon him, to get help and advice, he found the
good old professor--living entirely alone, and troubled not so much by
being alone, as by the necessity of taking care of life--in rather an
odd plight. He regretted that Eric did not devote himself exclusively
to science, but admitted also that Eric's natural tendency was to some
practical and personal activity. And with a smile, peculiarly his own,
he said,--

"You are a well-formed man, and you ought to make money out of that,
for it is worth something. Yes, yes, that will be a help."

Eric, in his restlessness and in his ardent desire not to be waiting,
but to do something for himself, went the next day to the capital, for
he had heard from the antiquarian, that an elderly man who conducted a
very respectable institute was about to retire, and wanted to transfer
it to good hands.

He came to the capital where he had lived as an officer many years,
respected and without care. Several comrades in their uniform seemed
not to know him; others bethought themselves after he had passed, and
called out, "Ah, is it you? Good-morning!" and went on. He went through
the capital, where he was born, and where he felt at home, making
inquiries like a stranger; he hoped it would again seem familiar and
homelike to him, when he should go out into the streets fro