The oldest was the wise one of the family.

He was devoted to philology and the historical sciences, but his sight was growing weaker all the time because of his omnivorous reading.

Soon he would be a Doctor, and before he was thirty, a Herr Professor.

The mother lamented that he had not military aspirations, considering that his tastes had somewhat distorted the lofty destinies of the family.

Professorships, sciences and literature were more properly the perquisites of the Jews, unable, because of their race, to obtain preferment in the army; but she was trying to console herself by keeping in mind that a celebrated professor could, in time, acquire a social rank almost equal to that of a colonel.
Her other four sons would become officers.