Vorwort. IX

His knowledge of medieval Latin literature and his keen interest inOld and Middle English were precious aids to him and his colleaguesin many investigations. Above all he insisted upon the importanceof direct acquaintance with the sources, and in furtherance of theseaims he himself became an ardent palaeographer and in fact thechief exponent of German palaeography in Great Britain. The chaptersdevoted to manuscripts and orthography in "The German Language"(1934) are his bequest to English students. At the same time hewas a most trustworthy textual critic, whose work we see at its bestin his editions of "Die heilige Regel" (1909); "Bruder Rausch" (1919);and "Johan Oz dem Virgiere" (1931).

His lectures at University College were modeis of form. He hada gift for language which had already earned the commendation ofhis examiners when he presented his doctoral thesis at Graz in 1894.He was most interested in the Early Middle High German religiouspoetry and in the great Court Romances and the Minnesang; to hearhim interpret Parzival or Walther von der Vogelweide was an un-forgettable experience. His sludents feit the warm glow of hisenthusiasm for the medieval world, and were prepared to undergo thearduous discipline by which alone it could be approached, for theyregarded almost with awe the unremitting patience and inexorableaccuracy he bestowed on every task. As a man he was simple andaffectionate in his dealings with others, and the tolerance and genialityhe showed often in the midst of physical torment will remain freshin many memories. He leaves a wife, of English birth, who hasbeen his truest friend in joy and sorrow, and a daughter, marriedto the Head of the German Department in the University of Bristol.

Viele Germanisten und Anglisten Deutschlands kannten sein gast-freundliches Haus und seine kostbare Bibliothek in London, die eineSammelstätte edler Kulturförderung war. Die Hss, Inkunabeln, Bücherund Drucke sind nun im Besitze der Familie A. Closs in Bristol.Robert Priebschs Angedenken wird in uns allen als leuchtendes Vor-bild gediegenster Gelehrsamkeit und liebenswürdiger Menschlichkeitfortleben. In uns wirkt ja der unerschütterliche Glaube, daß solchesGut nicht verloren gehen kann.