I first met Rick in, I think, 1977 when he was my student at the University of Virginia. "My student" is self-aggrandizing: I was a new associate professor and he did an independent study on Goethe's poetry with me. We had wonderful discussions from the first, but the most characteristic moment was when he said, after a few sessions, "I can see you are writing an article about Goethe's moon poetry." Actually I was doing no such thing, but it was the kind of supportive, encouraging response that all of our students value so highly. What a joy to be mentored by one's student! And a greater one yet to have one's student develop into a superb teacher and scholar, become one's colleague and chair and lifelong friend. Thank you Rick (and Sabine) for all the hard work, stimulation, and generosity you have brought to the department and to me.