ologist . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁univers ities ▁of ▁Leipzig , ▁Berlin , ▁and ▁Gre if sw ald ▁( Ph . D ., ▁ 1 8 6 9 ). ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Chinese ▁mar itime ▁custom s ▁service ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁Professor ▁H irth ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁professor ship ▁of ▁Chinese ▁in ▁Columbia ▁University ▁( New ▁York ▁City ). ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁Chinese ▁manuscript s ▁and ▁printed ▁books ▁made ▁by ▁him ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Library ▁at ▁Berlin , ▁and ▁another ▁of ▁por cel ains ▁of ▁considerable ▁historical ▁importance ▁in ▁the ▁Goth a ▁Museum ; ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁H irth ▁collection ▁from ▁the ▁Staats bibliothek ▁in ▁Berlin ▁is ▁now ▁in ▁Krak ów . ▁As ▁an ▁investig ator ▁he ▁conducted ▁research es ▁in ▁Chinese ▁literature ▁by ▁im itation ▁of ▁the ▁methods ▁of ▁classical ▁phil ology . ▁ ▁Works ▁▁ ▁Trans l ates ▁and ▁annot ates ▁a ▁merchant ▁log ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁Super int endent ▁of ▁Custom s ▁or ▁" H opp o ". ▁ ▁China ▁and ▁the ▁Roman ▁Orient : ▁Research es ▁into ▁their ▁An cient ▁ ▁and ▁Medi œ val ▁Rel ations ▁as ▁Represent ed ▁in ▁Old ▁Chinese ▁Records ▁( 1 8 8 5 ) ▁▁▁ ▁An cient ▁Por cel ain : ▁A ▁Study ▁in ▁Chinese ▁Medi œ val ▁Indust ry ▁and ▁Trade ▁( 1 8 8 8 ) ▁ ▁Text - Book ▁of