Assembled in the wake of the death of "Arminius von Thunder-ten-Tronckh"—struck by a stray bullet during the Franco-Prussian War—here is a collection of the fictional Prussian's letters, conversations, and opinions. A descendant of the von Thunder-ten-Tronckh family of Voltaire's Candide, Arminius proffers many views on social and pedagogic issues through these exchanges with his pen pal, Matthew Arnold, who writes back with equal vigor.