Shadow of great britain

The front-page headline of the August 1833 issue of the Journal of the University of Göttingen is "Sending Bismarck to Stendhal"

Author: Arthur Hastings

I loved learning when I was young. But because I was a hired farmer from the countryside of York, my family was poor, and my parents died early, I could not get books to read. I could only borrow books from local book collectors in York, copy them by hand, and return them on an agreed date. When the weather was extremely cold, the ink made from charcoal ash froze into ice, and my fingers could not bend or stretch, but I still did not stop copying books. After copying, I returned them quickly, and did not dare to exceed the agreed deadline.

Therefore, the villagers thought I was trustworthy, and most of them were willing to lend me books, so I was able to read all kinds of books. After I became an adult, I admired the teachings of saints even more, and I was troubled by the inability to interact with knowledgeable teachers and scholars. I once walked more than ten miles away, holding books in my hands to ask for advice from a pastor who graduated from Oxford University in a nearby parish. The pastor was highly respected, and the villagers and believers filled the prayer room of the church. His words and attitude were never euphemistic.

I stood beside him, raised questions, asked for truth, and bent over to ask him for advice. Sometimes when he scolded me, my expression became more respectful, and I was more polite, and I didn't dare to reply a word. When he was happy, I asked him for advice again. So although I was dull, I finally learned a lot.

Later, I inherited the property of my distant uncle, so I had the idea of ​​going to London to study. In order to save some money, I set out from York on foot with my schoolbag on my back, stepped on the back of my shoes under my heels, walked in the deep mountains and valleys and the barren plains, the cold wind was biting, the snow was several feet deep, and my feet and skin were frozen and cracked without knowing it.

After arriving in London, blisters and wounds could be seen everywhere on my feet, and the joints of my limbs were stiff and unable to move. I could only ask the waiter at the hotel for some hot water to drink and cover myself with a quilt. It took a long time for me to recover. When I first arrived in London, I couldn't afford the annual tuition of 300 pounds for the four major law firms in London. Fortunately, I heard the news of the establishment of the University of London, where the annual tuition was only 13 pounds and 6 shillings, so I had a place to stay.

When I first enrolled in the University of London, I only had two meals a day, sometimes only one meal, no afternoon tea, and no fresh and tender delicacies. Many of my roommates wore gorgeous clothes made of Nanjing cloth, top hats, cowhide belts decorated with silver buttons, pocket watches with gold chains hanging in their chest pockets, Thomason's canes in their left hands, and Gironx snuff bottles in their right trouser pockets. They looked bright and brilliant, like angels and saints.

I was among them wearing old cotton robes and tattered clothes, but I had no envy in my heart. Because I had things in my heart that made me happy, I didn't feel that I was not as good as others in food, clothing, and enjoyment. Mr. Jeremy Bentham discovered my situation and commented that I was studious. Every time he gave a speech at the school, he would ask about my learning progress. He would patiently explain to me when he encountered something he didn't understand, so my study finally got on the right track. Now I think that my hard work and hardship are probably like this.

Now I have graduated from the University of London for many years. Although I have not achieved much, I am fortunate to be able to be among the natural philosophy researchers. I have received the grace of His Majesty the King and followed the cabinet ministers to be responsible for the teaching work of the University of Göttingen. The gentlemen of the Kingdom Parliament regard me as an advisor and are willing to consult my opinions. Occasionally, I can hear papers praising my name in the academic world. I have received such honors for a person with mediocre talents, let alone those who are more talented than me?

Today's students study at the University of Göttingen and enjoy the subsidy policy of the Royal Government. Their parents give them fur coats in winter and shirts in summer every year, so they don't have to worry about being cold and hungry. Sitting in a tall house and reading books, there is no hardship of running around. The professors and lecturers were all learned men from all over Germany. These doctors with extensive knowledge and strong memory came to be their teachers. They never asked questions without answering them, and never asked for advice without gaining anything. All the books that should be available were concentrated in the school library. They no longer had to copy them by hand like I did, and borrow them from other places before they could read them.

Therefore, if there were students who were not proficient in their studies and had not developed moral character, if they were not talented or qualified, or if they were not as dedicated as I was, could it be said that it was someone else's fault? Otto von Bismarck, a young man from Stendhal, had studied at the University of Göttingen for three semesters, but he still could not get the hang of it, and he could often be heard saying bad things about him in the school.

When I first arrived at the University of Göttingen, Bismarck, because he did not understand the benefits of learning, had repeatedly challenged me as a junior. So I passed on my experience to him and patiently told him the elements of learning. After Bismarck gradually awakened, he had some understanding of learning, so he came to visit me as a junior and wrote a long letter as a gift.

The letter was written in a smooth and fluent manner. He argued with him in a gentle and humble manner. He said that he had not been very attentive and hardworking in his studies before, and even wanted to drop out of school at one point because he did not understand the beauty of learning. He was going to go home to meet his parents and express his determination to correct his attitude towards learning. So I wrote this article today to tell him about the difficulties I encountered in studying and encourage him to continue to make progress.

If someone says that this article of mine is to encourage my students to study hard, this is indeed my ambition. If those who like to gossip, slander me behind my back, thinking that I am boasting about my early school experience so that I can be proud in front of young people, can such people really be considered to understand me?

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The morning sun shines through the curtains of a simple rental house in a small hotel in Göttingen and sprinkles into the small room.

The room here is not big, and the walls are a little mottled due to the erosion of time. The furnishings in the house are simple and practical. An old desk is placed by the window, piled with various experimental equipment and manuscripts.

In the other corner of the room, there is a small stove, which still burns a few pieces of firewood left over from last night, and occasionally makes a slight crackling sound, adding a touch of warmth to this quiet morning. The kerosene lamp on the table has not been completely extinguished. Obviously, the owner of the rental house worked until late last night.

In front of the desk, Ohm, wearing a simple robe, has a thin blanket on his shoulders to resist the slightly cold air in the morning.

The new issue of the Journal of the University of Göttingen trembled slightly in his hands. From Ohm's wet eyelashes, it can be seen that the words in the newspaper seemed to touch him.

He thought that his early school experience was hard enough, but what Ohm didn't expect was that Sir Arthur Hastings, whom he regarded as a benefactor, also had a poor background.

Even compared with Arthur's early experience, Ohm felt that his life was extremely lucky.

Although his mother died when Ohm was ten years old, at least his father protected him and his brothers and sisters from wind and rain.

And Arthur Hastings, this young but respectable young man, relied entirely on his tireless desire to study and walked from the countryside of York to London on his own two legs.

Seeing this, Ohm put down the newspaper, looked at the sun appearing on the horizon outside the window and took a deep breath.

Logically, as a 44-year-old middle-aged man, he should have given life experience to young people like Arthur. But the fact is that he gained confidence from the young man's experience.

Ohm couldn't help shaking his head and sighing: "I am really ashamed of myself! Just the criticism from the academic community almost destroyed me. But Arthur Hastings, compared with the hardships he went through in his studies, what are these difficulties I encountered?"

Ohm stood up and stretched towards the sun. The light shone on his face, making this doctor of natural philosophy who had just obtained the qualification of a private lecturer at the University of Göttingen feel full of strength.

Ohm simply washed up, put on the handouts for today's lecture, opened the door of the rented house and went downstairs.

He walked on the streets of Göttingen, secretly determined in his heart that he must not let down Sir Arthur Hastings's sincere heart for him.

He not only had to hand in a satisfactory answer sheet at the European Electromagnetic Conference to be held next month, but also could not slack off in teaching.

Ohm really wanted to get a professorship at the University of Göttingen, but he also didn't want Arthur to bear the stigma of nepotism. Therefore, even though he is only a private lecturer now, he has to hold himself to the standard of a formal professor.

He wants everyone to believe from the bottom of their hearts that George Ohm is worthy of the professorship of the University of Göttingen.

In fact, after reading the article in the journal today, Ohm once had the idea of ​​returning the travel expenses that Arthur gave him.

Although he knew that Arthur might not need the money now, it still made Ohm feel guilty to take money from someone like Arthur who also came from a poor background.

However, although Ohm wanted to return the money, his current financial conditions did not allow him to do so.

Although he is now a private lecturer at the University of Göttingen, private lecturers in German universities have neither salary nor establishment.

Although these private lecturers are usually doctoral degree holders, they must complete a process called Habilitation (similar to postdoctoral research) to obtain the qualification to open formal courses in the university.

This process includes submitting a more in-depth research paper and giving a certain number of public lectures in the academic field. Only after completing these requirements can scholars be eligible to obtain the school's formal teaching license and be appointed as a formal professor.

Before obtaining a formal teaching position, the income of a private lecturer depends entirely on the tuition paid by students who take the initiative to attend his private courses. In other words, the income level of a private lecturer does not depend on the academic level to a certain extent, but on the sales level.

And it is very likely that a private lecturer like Ohm, who has just arrived, will have zero income in the first few months.

Moreover, it would be fine if the income of a private lecturer is small. But unfortunately, their expenses are often very large, because in order to complete the thesis, private lecturers usually conduct extensive research work to increase their academic reputation.

Although Arthur has fully opened up the access to the laboratory of the University of Göttingen to Ohm, and William Weber has also enthusiastically invited him to join his working group, Ohm still needs to purchase some materials that are not equipped in the laboratory for independent research on some topics.

So, to a certain extent, even if he wants to return the fifty ducats to Arthur, he is powerless.

Although he saved some money by working as a tutor during the years he was away from the academic circle, that little money was not enough to maintain his basic life.

Therefore, Ohm could only secretly make up his mind to get a professorship as soon as possible. Only in this way could he have enough financial strength to pay back the money.

According to Ohm's understanding, when he was studying at the University of Erlangen, the annual income of professors at the school was usually 800 thalers, which was 320 ducats.

In the past few years, due to the trend of establishing university education in various German states, professors' salaries have also increased.

Ohm's younger brother, Martin Ohm, a professor of mathematics at the University of Berlin, once told his brother in a letter that in order to steal people from other German states, the Kingdom of Prussia raised the salary standard for professors at the University of Berlin to 1,500 thalers (600 ducats), which was enough. This is 50% higher than the salary of professors at other German universities.

As a prestigious German school on par with the University of Berlin, the University of Göttingen's method of attracting talents is of course not only based on the most liberal academic style in Germany. The salary level here is also on par with the University of Berlin.

1,500 thalers!

What a huge sum of money!

You know, Ohm's locksmith father worked hard all year round and only earned 100 thalers. And this kind of income is not low among working-class families in Erlangen.

In other words, the salary level of professors at German universities is definitely considered high even in the industrially developed UK. 1,500 thalers is equivalent to 600 ducats, which is 300 pounds.

Even Charles Rowan, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, only earns so much from his public service.

Mr. Michael Faraday, Director of the Laboratory of the Royal Society, is limited by the Royal Society's tight financial situation. The salary he receives from the Royal Society is only a measly 100 pounds.

Of course, Faraday's low income is mainly due to his low material desires and his unwillingness to leave the Royal Society. It is not that he is really only worth 100 pounds.

Take Arthur's alma mater, the University of London, for example. Not long after the University of London was founded, it offered Faraday 1,000 pounds to poach Faraday and invited him to serve as provost and professor of experimental physics at the University of London. However, Faraday ruthlessly refused.

While planning the repayment plan in his mind, Ohm walked towards the gate of the University of Göttingen.

However, Ohm did not walk directly into the school gate. Instead, he stopped at the school gate, took out the admissions speech he had spent a lot of effort drafting last night from his bag, and began to promote the school he was about to open to the college students coming and going. Private Lessons.

Compared to a newly graduated Ph.D., Ohm has rich experience in the teaching field, and this is not the first time he has recruited private course students, so the admissions speech was naturally carried out easily.

"Classmates, classmates! Look at me! Have you ever wondered what kind of secrets are contained in those lightning flashes across the sky? Or, when you light a lamp, what kind of secrets flow in the flames? What exactly is the invisible power? If these questions resonate in your heart, then I believe we are all on the same page.

I cordially invite you to join me in my upcoming private courses at the University of Göttingen. This is not only an opportunity to learn, but also a journey to deeply explore the mysteries of natural science. In this course, we will enter a field full of exploration and discovery-experimental physics.

You may be thinking, oh, another boring theory course! If you think so, you are wrong. Because on the contrary, it will lead you to personally experience the scientific principles hidden behind daily life. You'll learn what materials conduct electricity and what materials insulate. You'll understand what drives us and makes our world go round.

Try running an electric current through a wire and feel the incredible power? Here, we will do hands-on experiments together to break down the boring text in textbooks and transform them into vivid experiences. You will see how electricity flows in different materials and how it is affected by temperature and pressure, all of which will be realistically presented in front of you..."

Ohm kept promoting his private lessons. Not many students gathered near him at first, but soon some interested students stopped around him and listened to his lecture quietly. However, although there were many people listening, no one was willing to pay for it yet.

After all, there are many private courses like this at the University of Göttingen. If you sign up for each one, it will not only cost a lot of money, but you will also not have the energy to attend all the courses.

Ohm was not in a hurry when he saw this situation. He enthusiastically promoted: "I know that many of you may have doubts about what I said. You doubt that what I say now is interesting, but it will become true when class comes. That's another story. I understand your concerns, so I plan to let everyone try 3 classes for free today. I will start the class on time at 2 o'clock in the physics laboratory next to the observatory. All interested students can come. I will definitely not charge you a penny to sign up here.”

When the students heard that Ohm was actually willing to let them try it for free, someone in the crowd finally raised their hands to sign up.

"Can I just give you my name?"

Om smiled and nodded: "As long as your college, grade and name, nothing else is needed."

"Count me in, second year law school, Otto von Bismarck."

"Otto von Bismarck..." Ohm wrote down the name on the paper, but halfway through he suddenly seemed to remember something, and looked up abruptly and said: "Huh? Bismarck? I remember that the journal said that you went back to your hometown to report your study situation to your parents?"

Bismarck pulled the dog leash back: "Yes, but I went back at the end of last month and just returned to school today."

"Oh..." Ohm smiled and encouraged: "It seems that you really monitored Hastings. Okay, remember to come to class on time this afternoon."

"Okay, I will be on time today!" Bismarck just finished shouting, and then muttered in a low voice: "I want to see what kind of electromagnetics he is doing..."

With Bismarck as the leader, other students also began to sign up enthusiastically.

Surrounded by students, Ohm wrote down the names one by one, and the smile on his face could not be stopped.

Perhaps because the new semester has not officially started yet, today's enrollment situation is much better than he expected.

After the students finished signing up, they walked into the school one by one, and there were fewer people around Ohm.

Ohm put away his pen and was about to take a break and drink some water. Unexpectedly, when he was about to leave, he suddenly found that there was a young man who looked like a student not far away.

This student was significantly different from the students who were dressed brightly and beautifully just now, so that Ohm suddenly remembered the article he saw this morning.

He was exactly the same as Arthur's description of his early years of studying, with old clothes, frayed boots and pants, and only a washed-out shirt to maintain his only respectability.

However, although his clothes were not luxurious, the young man was dressed very cleanly and did not look annoying.

Seeing this situation, Ohm couldn't help but think of himself in his early years. His chest was slightly hot. After thinking for a while, he took the initiative to walk towards the young man: "My classmate, do you want to sign up?"