; but I returned,
not at all the more inclined to recur to these studies in any shape. M. Krempe
was a little squat man, with a gruff voice and a repulsive countenance; the
teacher, therefore, did not prepossess me in favour of his pursuits. In rather a
too philosophical and connected a strain, perhaps, I have given an account of
the conclusions I had come to concerning them in my early years. As a child, I
had not been content with the results promised by the modern professors of
natural science. With a confusion of ideas only to be accounted for by my
extreme youth, and my want of a guide on such matters, I had retrod the steps of
knowledge along the paths of time, and exchanged the discoveries of recent
enquirers for the dreams of forgotten alchymists. Besides, I had a contempt for
the uses of modern natural philosophy. It was very different, when the masters
of the science sought immortality and power; such views, although futile, were
grand: but now the scene was changed. The ambition of the enquirer seemed to
limit itself to the annihilation of those visions on which my interest in
science was chiefly founded. I was required to exchange chimeras of boundless
grandeur for realities of little worth.
    Such were my reflections during the first two or three days of my residence
at Ingolstadt, which were chiefly spent in becoming acquainted with the
localities, and the principal residents in my new abode. But as the ensuing week
commenced, I thought of the information which M. Krempe had given me concerning
the lectures. And although I could not consent to go and hear that little
conceited fellow deliver sentences out of a pulpit, I recollected what he had
said of M. Waldman, whom I had never seen, as he had hitherto been out of town.
    Partly from curiosity, and partly from idleness, I went into the lecturing
room, which M. Waldman entered shortly after. This professor was very unlike his
colleague. He appeared about fifty years of age, but with an aspect expressive
of the greatest benevolence; a few grey hairs covered his temples, but those at
the back of his head were nearly black. His person was short, but remarkably
erect; and his voice the sweetest I had ever heard. He began his lecture by a
recapitulation of the history of chemistry, and the various improvements made by
different men of learning, pronouncing with fervour the names of the most
distinguished discoverers. He then took a cursory view of the present state of
the science, and explained many of its elementary terms. After having made a
