A BOOK OF BALLADS ON GERMAN HISTORY. ARRANGED AND ANNOTATED BY WILHELM WAGNER, PH.D. PROFESSOR AT THE JOHANNEUM, HAMBURG. EDITED FOR THE SYNDICS OF THE University Press. Cambridge: AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. London: CAMBRIDGE WAREHOUSE, 17, PATERNOSTER Row. PREFACE. THE present Collection of Ballads on German History is an attempt to combine the study of German poetry with the history of the country. The Ballads have been arranged in chronological order, so as to form a series of historical poems from the earliest times down to the latest events. It is hoped that the plan of this work and the selection itself will meet with the approbation of experienced teachers. Not a little labour has been bestowed upon the commentary, in which both the subject-matter and the linguistic peculiarities of the ballads have been carefully elucidated. Besides the works referred to in the notes, the Editor has to acknowledge his obligations to the excellent collection edited by his colleague Dr Julius Bintz (Ausgewählte Gedichte geschichtlichen Inhalts, Leipzig, Teubner). He also begs to record his thanks . |