whose love he won. It was "a glorious family" which permitted him to
share its rich social life, and in whose highly gifted circle he could be
sure of finding warm sympathy in his intellectual interests. Protected
from all external anxieties, he had under their roof ample leisure for
industrious labour and also for intercourse with his own friends.

In July, 1817, he passed the last examination with the greatest
distinction, receiving the "very good," rarely bestowed; and a brilliant
career lay before him.

Directly after this success three pulpits were offered to him, but he
accepted neither, because he longed for rest and quiet occupation.

The summons from Froebel to devote himself to his infant institute, where
Langethal had placed his younger brother, also reached him. The little
school moved on St. John's Day, 1817, from Griesheim to Keilhau, where
the widow of Pastor Froebel had been offered a larger farm. The place
which she and her children's teacher found was wonderfully adapted to
Froebel's purpose, and seemed to promise great advantages both to the
pupils and to the institute. There was much building and arranging to be
accomplished, but means to do so were obtained, and the first pupil
described very amusingly the entrance into the new home, the furnishing,
the discovery of all the beauties and advantages which we found as an old
possession in Keilhau, and the endeavour, so characteristic of
Middendorf, to adapt even the less attractive points to his own poetic
ideas.

Only the hours of instruction fared badly, and Froebel felt that he
needed a man of fully developed strength in order to give the proper
foundation to the instruction of the boys who were entrusted to his care.