THE LIFE OF GEORG SIMMEL XXV
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and Hegel's dialectic to attribute it to a mere coinci-
dence.
In 1885 Simmel became private lecturer (Privat Dozent)
at the University of Berlin. During his long career as uni-
versity teacher he lectured on a great many different sub-
jects, such as logic, principles of philosophy, history of
philosophy, modern philosophy, Kant, Lotze, Schopen-
hauer, Darwin, pessimism, ethics, philosophy of religion,
philosophy of art, psychology, social psychology, political
psychology, and sociology.
Nor were Simmel’s activities limited to academic dis-
courses and public lectures. His prolific pen has turned
out more than a hundred essays and a number of volumes
of considerable size. His most important books are: Ein-
lettung in die Moralwissenschaft, Philosophie des Geldes,
Soziologie, Kant, Goethe, Schopenhauer, Rembrandt, and
Lebensanschauung (Vier metaphysische Kapitel), the latter
published shortly after his death.
It was on the lecture platform, however, that he showed
his real greatness. As a lecturer he realized to the fullest
his manifold talents. His lectures were not only learned,
they were an inspiration. He combined a clear, logical
analysis with an artistic, impressionistic approach. A
beautiful voice, an excellent diction, an appealing person-
ality, all contributed to the charm of his address. A vivid
gesticulation would bring suggestions of life and growth
and give real expression to the dynamic quality of his
thought. It would vitalize his discourse just where a mere
conceptual abstraction seemed cold and rigid and even the
best available word weak and inadequate. Form and sub-
ject-matter of his lectures were so perfectly adapted that
the logical sequences seemed inevitable stages in a natural
anfoldment. He gave his audience more than knowledge.
He gave himself, and in so doing he gave of the best of his
