$.5-41 W. H. wait امامه PREFACE. WHILE the general object and scope of the present History of German Literature are sufficiently obvious, some explanation is necessary with regard to the illustrative passages which form one of its features. Such passages are accompanied, in the case of older dialects, by a literal German version, which is to be considered as a glossary rather than as a translation. It is believed that by this means the reader will be able better to appreciate the meaning and poetic value of the extracts than if he were offered an English version or an actual translation into modern German. Medieval literature cannot be approached through the medium of translations, and, as F. Pfeiffer remarks in the introduction to his edition of Walther von der Vogelweide, "Mittelhochdeutsche Gedichte auch nur erträglich ins Neuhochdeutsche zu übersetzen, ist ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit." Old High German, Old Saxon and Middle High German extracts are based on standard texts; but, from the Early High German period onwards, titles of works and quotations are taken from original editions that is to say, the orthography is not modernised. The bibliographical notes are restricted to references which are likely to be of service to the English or American student. As a work which is to be found in every larger library, and consequently generally accessible, the collection of Deutsche Nationallitteratur, edited by J. Kürschner, is-irrespective of the unequal value of the individual volumes-referred to throughout. For what I owe to other workers in the field, and for invaluable hints and suggestions from those who have helped me in reading the proofs-especially my friend Professor F. H. Wilkens of Union College, Schenectady-I have to express my hearty thanks. Above all, I am indebted to the Universitäts- und Landes-Bibliothek in Strassburg, which has enabled me, in almost all cases, to write from a first-hand acquaintance with the literature. STRASSBURG, July 1, 1902. JOHN G. ROBERTSON. ✓ CHAPTER I.-EARLY GERMANIC CULTURE; THE MIGRATIONS. The Germanic races. Tacitus's account of the West Germans. The The High German Soundshifting. The Merovingian epoch. duction of Christianity. Charles the Great. Translations of the liturgy. The Wessobrunner Gebet and the Hildebrandslied . 10 Ludwig the Pious. Tatian's Evangelienharmonie. The Old Saxon ✓ CHAPTER I.—ASCETICISM. THE BEGInnings of tTHE POPULAR EPIC. Monastic reform. "Mariendichtung" and theological mysticism. The Beast epic. Beginnings of the Minnesang. "Spruchdichtung". 50 The Nibelungen saga and Nibelungenlied. Siegfried and Kriemhild; Hilde and Gudrun. Gudrun in Normandy; her deliverance. Heinrich von Veldeke's Eneit. Herbort von Fritzlar and Albrecht |