The University of Dorpat was founded by Gustavus Adolphus, in the year of his death, 1632. In 1656 the place was attacked by the Russians, who drove out all the professors, and destroyed the town. It was restored in 1667, but thirty-two years afterwards the University was transplanted to Pernau. In 1710, together with all its professors, museums, libraries, and students, the University sought refuge in Sweden, in order to avoid the approaching Russian army. We hear nothing of it then for nearly a century ; till, in 1802, the Emperor Alexander restored the University of Dorpat, and assig'ned to it sufficient revenues to enable it to hold out tempting offers to learned foreigners, to undertake scientific journeys, to found museums, &c.
The number of professors now amounts nearly to 40, and that of students has risen since 1802, from 100, to 200, to 400, and finally to 600. In 1840 there were 573 students, 243 of whom were Livonians, 68 Esthonians, 107 Courlanders, 128 Russians, 4 Finlanders, 12 Poles, and 11 foreigners. If we compare the number of Esthonian, Livonian, and Courland students, with the number of inhabitants in their respective provinces, we shall find that one out of every 5000 in Courland, one out of 4000 in Esthonia, one out of 3000 in Livonia, is a student at Dorpat.
The professors are all Germans, mth the exception of one young Russian professor of surgery, and the professors of Russian Hterature. The university is altogether German in spirit, which can be said of no other of the five Russian Universities. The professors and students maintain several literary and scientific societies ; there is a Society for the Promotion of Natural History, several reading societies, and a Professor' Abe7id, as it is called, in which all the professors join, to entertain each other by lectures or conversation. Such associations do not exist in the other Russian Universities, where the professors never come together but in full uniform, for the transaction of formal business. At Dorpat the professors five in far more friendly and peaceable relations to each other than at most Universities. This peace, however, though very pleasing at first sight, arises less from a peaceable spirit than from a want of scientific zeal and literary energy. At German Universities the sword is always unsheathed, and the least difference in opinion, on scientific or literary points between two colleges, breaks the truce. At Dorpat, all the learned weapons are left to hang on the walls, all questions calculated to dlstiu'b the peace of the community are left untouched, and the worthy professors take good care, above all things, not to let their dinners cool whUc they quarrel.
The German spirit which prevails in the University of Dorpat g^ves it great influence in Russia. No one doubts the thorough learning of any student who has passed his examination at Dorpat, and a Dorpat professor is an oracle of wisdom to all. Indeed, the whole of the Baltic provinces exercise the greatest influence over Russia. As the nobility ol
these countries supply tlie Russian armies with generals and statesmen, as their seaports furnish those of Russia with great merchants and traders, so Dorpat supplies men of learning, theoretical and practical. The chief exports of this University, consist in young physicians. Almost every town in Russia has a doctor from Dorpat. Many teachers in private families and schools have been educated at Dorpat, and the same remark applies to the pastors of the different German congregations scattered through Russia. The Doqoat examinations are very strict, and promotion not so easily obtained as with us.
The professors of Dorpat are very well off ; they are twice as well paid as with us, and have only half as much to do. After a certain number of years they generally retire on handsome pensions, either to enjoy their otium cum dignitale in foreign countries, or as landowners in the Baltic provinces.