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LIFE OF MARTIN BOOS.

CHAPTER I.

Birth and Education.

MARTIN BOOS was born December 25, 1762, at Hulbenried, on the confines of Upper Bavaria and Suabia. His father was a respectable farmer, with a stock of twenty cows and four horses. His mother had sixteen children, of whom he was the youngest but two. He was scarcely five years old when both his parents were carried off, within a fortnight of each other, by an epidemic which proved fatal to numbers in that part of the country. left twelve orphans, the eldest, a girl of eighteen; but He who "feedeth the young ravens when they cry," provided homes for them in the families of their nearest relatives, who divided the orphans amongst them.

They

On Whit-Monday Martin's eldest sister, with her little brother on her back, set off on foot to the city of Augsburg, where they had an uncle named Koegel, who held the offices of fiscal and ecclesiastical counsellor. Tired

of her burden, she laid Martin down in a cornfield, and walked on to Augsburg alone. She came back in the course of the afternoon to the corn-field, where Martin had fallen fast asleep, took him to his uncle, and begged him to adopt the child as his own. Her request was granted; but Martin (as if from a presentiment of what he would suffer in that city in after life) entreated that he might go back to Hulbenried. To escape his importunity, his sister, after staying with him two days, rose early in the morning and left him without taking leave: so that he was obliged to

remain.

At eight years old he was sent to school. One year after another passed away; and as no complaints were heard from the master, counsellor Koegel did not trouble himself to make any inquiries about his nephew's proficiency. At length one day, when Martin asked for the money due for his schooling, his uncle said to him, somewhat sharply, "There it is! but it is high time for you to leave school, and learn some trade. What would you like to be?" "I should like to be a clergyman," said Martin. "You a clergyman!" was the reply; "why you have neither brains nor money for that!" This was a sad rebuff to Martin; but, in a few minutes, his uncle desired him to come to him after dinner that he might take a note to the school-master, to inquire about his proficiency. The old master gave Martin the best of characters, and said that, of all his

pupils, he was the most forward in Latin, and it would be a sin and a shame to cut short the studies of so promising a youth. This was

the first time that the uncle had heard of Martin's learning Latin: for the little interest he had shown in his progress, rendered the boy fearful of mentioning it to him, lest he should be angry at his aspiring too high for one in his dependent situation. Such appre

hensions were, however, ill-founded. Koegel, on reading the master's note, at once said, "Well, since you have so good a character, I am willing to make the trial, and allow you to go on with your studies; but if you slacken your efforts, depend upon it, you shall be a shoemaker, and nothing more.'

Martin now entered the school of the ExJesuits in the Gymnasium of St. Salvador. In five years he passed through the lower classes with credit, and then proceeded to study logic in the Lyceum. At the vacation he returned home. His uncle was true to his promise, and had formed a plan for his future course. "Where have you been all this time?" he abruptly exclaimed; and in the same breath, added, "To-morrow you are to set out for the University at Dillengen. Lose no time in getting your certificate from the Ex-Jesuits." But the Ex-Jesuits, when they found where he was going, refused to give the necessary testimonials, alleging that it was a very dangerous place for young persons. This was owing to their violent prejudices

against several excellent men among the professors, particularly Sailer and Zimmer. They offered, if he remained at Augsburg, to procure for him a good situation as private teacher, so that he would be entirely provided for, be able to study free of expense, and be quite independent of his uncle's assistance. When Martin came back with the answer, his uncle, who was no friend to the Jesuits, was highly incensed, and said, "Go again, and tell them to give the certificates, or I shall take means to compel them." This peremptory demand was successful, and very favourable testimonials were given. The next day Martin proceeded to Dillengen, though the insinuations of the Jesuits had given him an unfavourable impression of the place and the professors. Here he studied philosophy and metaphysics with ardour; and, after undergoing an examination, was permitted to attend the theological class gratuitously. He returned to Augsburg at the vacation; and, for the first time in his life, had the happiness of being commended by his uncle, in consequence of the favourable report of the director of the University.

For four years Martin studied theology, pastoral duties, moral philosophy, canon law, and church history. At the beginning of the first year he passed through the four minor orders; in the second year, at Easter, he was made sub-deacon. His studies were interrupted by a fever, from which he recovered

But as his

only a week before Whitsuntide. uncle wished him to be ordained priest in the autumn, he attended for four days to the spiritual exercises, and then went with the other candidates to Augsburg. He there acquitted himself with great credit, and, as his dread of a failure had been extreme, his joy was proportionably great.

In the autumn he was admitted to priest's orders. At his first celebration of mass there were five hundred communicants, besides thirty-five of the clerical order. This numerous attendance was principally out of respect to counsellor Koegel, the uncle; and the old gentleman was so much gratified with it, that he gave a three days' shooting party.

Martin had still two years to spend at Dillengen, in order to complete his studies. After that he spent seven weeks in the seminary of Pfaffenhausen; and when he left that place, obtained a curacy at Unterthingau, a large town in Lower Suabia.

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