An anthology of German literature

anthology of German literature,
by Calvin Thomas

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Title: An anthology of German literature
Author: Calvin Thomas
Release Date: April 13, 2007 [EBook #21053]
Language: German
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ANTHOLOGY OF GERMAN LITERATURE ***

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A few typographical errors were corrected. They are listed at the end of
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Heath's Modern Language Series
AN ANTHOLOGY of GERMAN LITERATURE
by CALVIN THOMAS, LL. D. Late Professor in Columbia University
D. C. Heath & Co., Publishers Boston New York Chicago

Copyright, 1906 and 1909, By D. C. Heath & Co 419
Printed in U.S.A.

PREFACE
This book is designed to accompany an introductory study of the
history of German literature. It is assumed that the history itself will be
learned, so far as necessary, either from lectures or from some other
book devoted to the subject. As the selections were made, for the most
part, while I was writing my own short history of German literature for

the series published under the general editorship of Mr. Edmund Gosse
and known as "Literatures of the World," it was natural that the
Anthology should take on, to some extent, the character of a
companion book to the History. At the same time I did not desire that
either book should necessarily involve the use of the other. Hence the
absence of cross references; and hence also, in the Anthology, the brief
introductory notes, giving important dates and summary
characterizations. These are meant to enable the student to read the
selections intelligently without constant recourse to some other book.
In preparing Part First, I have had in mind the student who has learned
to read the language of Goethe and Schiller with some facility, and
would like to know something of the earlier periods, but has not studied,
and may not care to study, Old and Middle German. On this account
the selections are given in modern German translations. The original
texts are omitted because space was very precious, and because the
book was intended as an aid to literary rather than linguistic study. In
making the selections, my first principle was to give a good deal of the
best rather than a little of everything. I wished to make friends for
medieval German poetry, and it seemed to me that this could best be
done by showing it in its strength and its beauty. So I have ignored
much that might have had a historical or linguistic interest for the
scholar, and have steadily applied the criterion of literary worth.
My second principle was to give preference to that which is truly
German, in contradistinction from that which is Latin, or European, or
merely Christian. The Latinists of every epoch are in general
disregarded, as not being of German literature in the strict sense; yet I
have devoted eight pages to Waltharius and three to Rudlieb, on the
ground that the matter of these poems is essentially German, albeit their
form is Latin. On the other hand, Hrotswith is not represented at all,
because, while an interesting personage in her way, she belongs to
German literature neither by her form nor by her matter. The religious
poetry of the twelfth century receives rather scant attention, partly
because it is mostly pretty poor stuff--there is not much else like the
beautiful Arnstein hymn to the Virgin, No. XIII--and partly because it
embodies ideas and feelings that belonged to medieval Christianity

everywhere.
For each selection I have given the best translation