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t Progress of the Species； Dark Ages； Prejudice； and the like； so that all were quickly enough blown out into a state of windy argumentativeness； whereby the better sort had soon to end in sick； impotent Scepticism； the worser sort explode （_erepiren_） in finished Self…conceit； and to all spiritual intents become dead。But this too is portion of mankind's lot。 If our era is the Era of Unbelief； why murmur under it； is there not a better coming； nay come？ As in long…drawn systole and long…drawn diastole； must the period of Faith alternate with the period of Denial； must the vernal growth； the summer luxuriance of all Opinions； Spiritual Representations and Creations； be followed by； and again follow； the autumnal decay； the winter dissolution。 For man lives in Time； has his whole earthly being； endeavor and destiny shaped for him by Time： only in the transitory Time…Symbol is the ever…motionless Eternity we stand on made manifest。 And yet； in such winter…seasons of Denial； it is for the nobler…minded perhaps a comparative misery to have been born； and to be awake and work； and for the duller a felicity； if； like hibernating animals； safe…lodged in some Salamanca University or Sybaris City； or other superstitious or voluptuous Castle of Indolence； they can slumber through； in stupid dreams； and only awaken when the loud…roaring hailstorms have all alone their work； and to our prayers and martyrdoms the new Spring has been vouchsafed。〃
That in the environment； here mysteriously enough shadowed forth； Teufelsdrockh must have felt ill at ease； cannot be doubtful。 〃The hungry young；〃 he says； 〃looked up to their spiritual Nurses； and； for food； were bidden eat the east…wind。 What vain jargon of controversial Metaphysic； Etymology； and mechanical Manipulation falsely named Science； was current there； I indeed learned； better perhaps than the most。 Among eleven hundred Christian youths； there will not be wanting some eleven eager to learn。 By collision with such； a certain warmth； a certain polish was communicated； by instinct and happy accident； I took less to rioting （_renommiren_）； than to thinking and reading； which latter also I was free to do。 Nay from the chaos of that Library； I succeeded in fishing up more books perhaps than had been known to the very keepers thereof。 The foundation of a Literary Life was hereby laid： I learned； on my own strength； to read fluently in almost all cultivated languages； on almost all subjects and sciences； farther； as man is ever the prime object to man； already it was my favorite employment to read character in speculation； and from the Writing to construe the Writer。 A certain groundplan of Human Nature and Life began to fashion itself in me； wondrous enough； now when I look back on it； for my whole Universe； physical and spiritual； was as yet a Machine！ However； such a conscious； recognized groundplan； the truest I had； _was_ beginning to be there； and by additional experiments might be corrected and indefinitely extended。〃
Thus from poverty does the strong educe nobler wealth； thus in the destitution of the wild desert does our young Ishmael acquire for himself the highest of all possessions； that of Self…help。 Nevertheless a desert this was； waste； and howling with savage monsters。 Teufelsdrockh gives us long details of his 〃fever…paroxysms of Doubt；〃 his Inquiries concerning Miracles； and the Evidences of religious Faith； and how 〃in the silent night…watches； still darker in his heart than over sky and earth； he has cast himself before the All…seeing； and with audible prayers cried vehemently for Light； for deliverance from Death and the Grave。 Not till after long years； and unspeakable agonies； did the believing heart surrender； sink into spell…bound sleep； under the nightmare； Unbelief； and； in this hag…ridden dream； mistake God's fair living world for a pallid； vacant Hades and extinct Pandemonium。 But through such Purgatory pain；〃 continues he； 〃it is appointed us to pass； first must the dead Letter of Religion own itself dead； and drop piecemeal into dust； if the living Spirit of Religion； freed from this its charnel…house； is to arise on us； new…born of Heaven； and with new healing under its wings。〃
To which Purgatory pains； seemingly severe enough； if we add a liberal measure of Earthly distresses； want of practical guidance； want of sympathy； want of money； want of hope； and all this in the fervid season of youth； so exaggerated in imagining； so boundless in desires； yet here so poor in means；do we not see a strong incipient spirit oppressed and overloaded from without and from within； the fire of genius struggling up among fuel…wood of the greenest； and as yet with more of bitter vapor than of clear flame？
From various fragments of Letters and other documentary scraps； it is to be inferred that Teufelsdrockh； isolated； shy； retiring as he was； had not altogether escaped notice： certain established men are aware of his existence； and； if stretching out no helpful hand； have at least their eyes on him。 He appears； though in dreary enough humor； to be addressing himself to the Profession of Law；whereof； indeed； the world has since seen him a public graduate。 But omitting these broken； unsatisfactory thrums of Economical relation； let us present rather the following small thread of Moral relation； and therewith； the reader for himself weaving it in at the right place； conclude our dim arras…picture of these University years。
〃Here also it was that I formed acquaintance with Herr Towgood； or； as it is perhaps better written； Herr Toughgut； a young person of quality （_von Adel_）； from the interior parts of England。 He stood connected； by blood and hospitality； with the Counts von Zahdarm； in this quarter of Germany； to which noble Family I likewise was； by his means； with all friendliness； brought near。 Towgood had a fair talent； unspeakably ill…cultivated； with considerable humor of character： and； bating his total ignorance； for he knew nothing except Boxing and a little Grammar； showed less of that aristocratic impassivity； and silent fury； than for most part belongs to Travellers of his nation。 To him I owe my first practical knowledge of the English and their ways； perhaps also something of the partiality with which I have ever since regarded that singular people。 Towgood was not without an eye； could he have come at any light。 Invited doubtless by the presence of the Zahdarm Family； he had travelled hither； in the almost frantic hope of perfecting his studies； he； whose studies had as yet been those of infancy； hither to a University where so much as the notion of perfection； not to say the effort after it； no longer existed！ Often we would condole over the hard destiny of the Young in this era： how； after all our toil； we were to be turned out into the world； with beards on our chins indeed； but with few other attributes of manhood； no existing thing that we were trained to Act on； nothing that we could so much as Believe。 'How has our head on the outside a polished Hat；' would Towgood exclaim； 'and in the inside Vacancy； or a froth of Vocables and Attorney…Logic！ At a small cost men are educated to make leather into shoes； but at a great c