LIFE OF QUINTUS FIXLEIN,
DOWN TO OUR OWN TIMES.
IN FIFTEEN LETTER-BOXES.
FIRST LETTER-BOX.
Dog-Days' Vacation.—Visits.—An Indigent of Quality.
GIDIUS ZEBEDAUS FIXLEIN had just for eight days been Quintus,[1] and fairly commenced teaching duties, when Fortune tabled out for him four refreshing courses and collations, besprinkled with flowers and sugar. These were the four canicular weeks. I could find in my heart, at this hour, to pat the cranium of that good man who invented the Dog-days' Vacation. I never go to walk in
- ↑ For understanding many little hints which occur in this Life of Fixlein, it will be necessary to bear in mind the following particulars: A German Gymnasium, in its complete state, appears to include eight Masters; Rector, Conrector, Subrector, Quintus, Quartus, Tertius, &c., to the first or lowest. The forms, or classes, again, are arranged in an inverse order; the Primaner (boys of the Prima, or first form) being the most advanced, and taught by the Rector; the Secundaner, by the Conrector, &c.; and therefore the Quartaner by the Quintus. In many cases, it would seem, the number of Teachers is only six; but in this Flachsenfingen Gymnasium we have express evidence that there was no curtailment.—Ed.
