School-Leaving Reference for Prima Pupil Friedrich Engels

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School-Leaving Reference for Prima Pupil Friedrich Engels

(n°713)

Engels received this reference in September 1837 when he had to leave the top form of the Elberfeld gymnasium in compliance with the wishes of his father, who sent him to study commerce at the Barmen office of his firm; in June 1838, Engels went to Bremen for the same purpose.

Prima : Upper, or First, Form in German secondary schools, corresponding to the Sixth Form in England. _Ed

Born on 28th’ November, 1820, at Unter-Barmen, of the Evangelical faith, pupil of the Elberfeld gymnasium since the autumn of 1834 (October 20th) and since the autumn of 1836 (October 17th) a member of the Prima of the same, has taken pains to be of very good behaviour, especially during his stay in the Prima form, has commended himself to his teachers particularly by his modesty, frankness and good-natured disposition, and equally displayed commendable endeavour, supported by good talents, to acquire the most comprehensive scientific education possible, for which reason also his progress has been gratifyingly conspicuous, as the following special compilation of the separate subjects shows more precisely.

I. Languages

1. Latin. He finds no difficulty in understanding the respective writers either of prose or poetry, namely, Livius and Cicero, Virgil and Horace, so that he can easily follow the thread of the longer pieces, grasp the train of thought with clarity and translate the text before him with skill into the mother tongue. He has been less successful in mastering the grammatical part with thorough assurance, so that his written work, although not without visible progress towards improvement, yet left something to be desired in respect of grammar and style.

2. Greek. He has acquired a satisfactory knowledge of morphology and the rules of syntax, in particular good proficiency and skill in translating the easier Greek prose writers, as also Homer and Euripides, and could grasp and render the train of thought of a Platonic dialogue with skill.

3. German. His written essays, particularly in the last year, showed gratifying progress in general development; they contained good, independent thoughts and were for the most part correctly arranged; the exposition was duly exhaustive and the expression perceptibly approached correctness. Engels showed commendable interest in the history of German national literature and the reading of the German classics.

4. French. He translates the French classics with skill. He has a good knowledge of grammar.

II. Sciences

1. Religion. The basic doctrines of the Evangelical Church as well as the chief elements of the history of the Christian Church are well known to him. He is also not without experience in reading the New Testament (in the original).

2. In history and geography he possesses sufficient lucid knowledge.

3. In mathematics Engels has on the whole attained gratifying knowledge; he showed in general good power of understanding and could express himself clearly and with precision. The same holds

4. for his knowledge of physics.

5. Philosophical propaedeutic. Engels followed the lectures on empirical psychology with interest and success.

The undersigned discharges with his best blessings a dear pupil who, due to private connections, stood particularly close to him and who in this position endeavoured to commend himself by his religious feeling, purity of heart, agreeable habits and other prepossessing qualities, on his going into business at the end of the school year (September 15th of this year), which he found himself induced to choose as his outward profession in life instead of the studies he had earlier intended. May the Lord bless and guide him!

Elberfeld, September 25th, 1837

Dr. J. C. L. Hantschke