All sing-- Up! ye feast companions, guard them, All our hallowed rites and fair; All your heart and soul award them, As stout men should ever dare! To the feast, ye brothers valiant,-- Worthy of your fathers, stand! And may he ne'er wield the brand, But who noble is and gallant! Each president now reaches across the table to the brother sitting opposite to him, his cap, which he has taken off the sword, and stretches the sword over his covered head; both the presidents singing:-- So take it back;-- Thy head I now will cover, And stretch the sword it over, And live to this our Brother, hoch! A dog's-foot who insult him shall! Wherever we shall meet him, We'll aye, as Brother greet him, And live to this our Brother, hoch! While all are singing, the president reaches to him whose head he has covered, his right hand. The presidents thus gradually, and in succession, cover all heads, till they have again arrived at that place at the table where they have presided. Returned thither, they cover each other under the same ceremonies. In conclusion, all sing:-- Rest thee from the Burschen feast-rites, Now, thou dedicated brand, And be each one's high endeavour-- Freedom for his Fatherland! Hail to him who still is haunted With his father's &me in field; And the sword may no one wield, But the noble and undaunted! This is the simple description of a Commers, as it is now celebrated; and when we ask what it is which distinguishes the Commers from other festive meetings, the reply must be, that it consists in the singing of "The Landsfather," as its solemn and ceremonial conclusion. To this celebration we certainly are not at all disposed to refuse our approbation. It contributes strongly to maintain a unity amongst the students, divided and subdivided as they are into different Chores, and separated again from the private people--as the Camels, as a more polite name, are called. They contribute to bring back to the consciousness of every one, that Germany, though separated into so many states and territories, is yet One Germany! The hole which is pierced in the cap is at once a symbol of death of the Fatherland, and a memorial of Commers pleasures enjoyed in companionship with those of many names and places.