LEAPOLD VON RANKE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2266, 9 April 1886, Page 2

LEAPOLD VON RANKE.

Wo hope our readers have read ' tonka s History of the Popes." If they have not a little event has just occurred at Berlin, which may well send them to a perusal of the book. It is now more than fifty years since Leopold Von Ranko unwittingly justified the attitude of the Protestants by his honest account of tho Popes transactions, In 1846 tho work was published in an English press, and was introduced to English readers with high praise by Macauley. In that work Von Hanks made his mark as a historian and man of letters, and for tho entiro half-century following he continued to pour out on respective Germany new works at the rate of a volume a year. In 1880,_ when already 85 years old, ho astonished his countrymen by bringing out the first volume of his magnum opus, The Universal History," oi which he has since published other four volumes. Now that he has completed his 90th year all Germany and specially Berlin, where he has spent his life, has thought fit to give him, long the Alt Mtiikr of German historians, a public celebration. He was not asked to leavo his, retreat, "up -four flights of stairs" in the Luu'isen Strasse • but the Crown Prince of Germany, at the head of a stream of friends and admirers, made his way thither, ascended the four flights, and presented Eanke with a lifesize portrait of the Emperor, and a kindly autograph letter. This was followed by a special messenger from the Empress, with a similar letter, and by a congratulatory document signed by the whole of the Prussian Ministry of State, with Bismarck at the head, Then came the presentation of a number of addresses from deputations, some of which were most touching. Professor Von Sybel, a man of almost 70 years of age, presentee! his congratulations as Ranke's "youngest pupil;" and among the sackfuls of letters and telegrams was one from the King of Wurtemberg, who called himself " ono of your former .pupils."' The "OldMaster,"—!' hermit - looking,. with bald head and waving beard," having listened standing to tie addresses, " sat down and discoursed for nearly an hour on the early events of this eventful century—truly.a rare and touching sight. "— Queensland Standard.