even
of our rank in life.

[5] The Cantor would combine the duties of precentor (whence his title),
leading the church singing and training the choristers, with those of
the schoolmaster of the village boys' school. In large church-schools
the Cantor is simply the choir-master. The great Bach was Cantor of the
Thomas-Schule, Leipzig.

[6] It will be remembered that this letter is addressed to the Duke of
Meiningen.

[7] "Arise, my heart and spirit," and "It costs one much (it is a
difficult task) to be a Christian."

[8] Christoph Froebel is here meant. He studied at the University of
Jena.

[9] In this case Froebel's usually accurate judgment of his own
character seems at fault; his opinions being always most decided, even
to the point of sometimes rendering him incapable of fairly appreciating
the views of others.

[10] Froebel is alluding to his undertaking the education of his brother
Christoph's sons, in November 1816, when he finally decided to devote
his life to the cause of education.

[11] At the time Froebel was writing this autobiographical letter
(1827), and seeking thereby to enlist the Duke of Meiningen's sympathies
in his work, in order to found a fresh institution at Helba, he was
undergoing what was almost a persecution at Keilhau. All associations of
progressive men were frowned upon as politically dangerous, and Keilhau,
amongst the rest, was held in suspicion. Somewhat of this is seen in the
interesting account by Barop further on ("Critical Moments at Keilhau").

[12] Herr Hoffmann, a clergyman, representing the State in Church matter
for the district of Stadt-Ilm; a post somewhat analogous to that of our
archdeacon.

[13] Equal to an English middle-class school.

[14] The Ilm, flowing through Thuringia into the Saale, a tributary of
the Elbe. Oberweissbach is upon the Schwarza, also flowing into the
Saale. Weimar stands upon the Ilm, Jena upon the Saale.

[15] Superintendents. The _ephors_ of ancient Sparta amongst their
duties had that of the superintendence of education, whence the German
title.

[16] This story is not now popular, but its nature is sufficiently
indicated in the text.

[17] Christoph and Traugott.

[18] In Germany a _Forstmann_, or forester, if he has studied forest
cultivation in a School of Forestry, rises eventually to the position of
supervisor of forests (_Forst-meister_). The forester who does not study
remains in the inferior position.

[19] In the G