Volume I Part 4 (1/2)

Your friendshi+p--if you could understand what it is tois to live with my wife always near you Not Paris nor London--you alone would be able to haood there may be in me, for you fire me to the best efforts

Froh Wolff Switzerland did ood, and there I found an old friend of my youth, to whom I could talk much about you It was Alexander Mueller, whom you too knoorthy and amiable man and artist At Zurich also I read your article on ”Tannhauser” in the Journal des Debats What have you done in it? You wished to describe my opera to the people, and instead of that you have yourself produced a true work of art Just as you conducted the opera, so have you written about it: new, all new, and frohts were these: ”This wonderfulhis own self from his inner fullness he can never be merely reproductive; no other action than the purely productive is possible to him; all in him tends to absolute, pure production, and yet he has never yet concentrated his whole power of will on the production of a great work Is he, with all his individuality, too little of an egoist?

Is he too full of love, and does he resemble Jesus on the Cross, Who helps every one but Hihts of you and my love of you are still too enthusiastic; I can only exclaier, so that ive utterance to rant me the power to do full justice to the love I have for you; as yet I live too much on your love for me, and ather the necessary strength from the intercourse with those who love you as I do; and truly you have friends!

I arrived in Paris soon after the publication of your article We know better than any one that this was an accident, of which you had not in the least thought when you wrote and dispatched the article But this accident has at once given a distinct colour to my position in Paris, and--our friend M considers that colour as black as possible Dear Liszt, you ought to clear your mind as to this o that natures like that of M are strictly opposed to yours and o that the only tie possible between you and M was effected by nanimity on your side and by prudence on his? Where the two threads of this woof met, there deception was possible for a tinanihly little, and unfortunately I do not htest doubt about it

Honestly speaking, I aue a la Verre d'Eau; if this were the only way open to me, I should pack e; work I will as much as I can, but to sell my ware in this market is impossible to me Artistic affairs here are in so vile a condition, so rotten, so fit for decay, that only a bold scytheht cut Dearest friend, apart from all political speculation, I am compelled to say openly that in the soil of the anti-Revolution no art can grow, neither perhaps could it for the present in the soil of the Revolution, unless care were taken--in ti article on the theatre of the future for some important, political journal I promise you to leave politics on one side as much as possible, and therefore shall not compromise you or any one else; but as far as art and the theatre are concerned you race, allow me to be as red as possible, for a very determined colour is the only one of use to us This, I think, is my most prudent course to adopt, and he who advises it for prudential reasons as the most effective one is none other than your representative Belloni He tells me that here I want money as much as M or really more than M, or else I must make myself feared Well, money I have not, but a tremendous desire to practice a little artistic terrorisive reat hunt; ill shoot, and the hares shall fall right and left

I do not expect to reach the goal here so very soon but must prepare myself A libretto of Scribe or Duoal in this Parisian hunt, I shall not compass it in the co new, and that I can achieve only by doing it allFrench poet sufficiently congenial to give hie myself, and he must then write his French verses as spontaneously as possible; to anything else I could not agree

During these slow preparations I shall have to occupy o there as soon as possible to do all in my power for the performance of my works As to this I expect your friendly command

I thank you from all my heart for Belloni; he is an able, honest, and very active man; every day he calls for lory

This is the cheerful part of my news; otherwise this horrible Paris presses on ht Often I bleat like a calf for its stable and for the udder of its life-giving st these people! My poor wife! I have had no news as yet, and I feel deathly soft and flabby at every reood news of e, I aenerous offers, I frequently consider with a deadly terror the shrinking of ed journey to Paris

I feel again as I did when I cas would often get hold ofthe dawn of the hot days that were to shi+ne on radesin ain, especially if the little Weiood news, and I float once lorious friend, take me such as this abominableParis has excited me today I do not thank you; I call you blessed

Greet the dear Princess, greet the small knot of my friends, and tell them that you hope I shall do well Soon you will hear more of me Be happy and remember me

Yours,

RICHARD WAGNER

PARIS, June 5th, 1849

(Have you received the scores, and shall I see some of them here by-and-bye?)

I have been with your iven me uncoain She sends you best greetings

19

DEAREST FRIEND,

It is nearly four weeks since my wife left rief and depression are great I ain another home and hearth; otherwise all is over with reater than my sense With Belloni I have been in close consultation, and we have for opinion and the resolution derived therefroood at present;else I am unfit This object cannot be attained by storm; in the most favourable case I shall achieve the poem in half a year, and the performance in a year and a half In Paris without a home, or--which is the same--peace of heart, I can do no work; I must find a new place where I am at home and can make up my mind to remain at home For such a place I have selected Zurich I have written to est sister, with the reoods, so as once more to be united to me I have a friend there, Alexander Mueller, ill assistas cheap a hoo there froain, I shall forthwith and gladly set to work The sketch of a subject for Paris I shall send froe about a French version by Gustave Vaez In October he may have finished his work, and then I shall for a short time leave my wife for Paris, and shall try every possibleof the said subject I may perhaps on the same occasion perform some of my music, and after that shall return to Zurich to set about the co to fried” Within half a year I shall send you the opera coenuine work, or else perish; but in order to work I want quiet and a home With my wife and in pleasant Zurich I shall find both I have one thing in view, and one thing I shall always do with joy and pleasure--work, ie, write operas For anything else I am unfit; play a part or occupy a position I cannot, and I should deceive those whom I proet me some small yearly allowance, just sufficient to secure for me and my wife a quiet existence in Zurich, as for the present I am not allowed to be near you in Germany I talked to you in Weimar of a salary of three hundred thalers which I should wish to ask of the Grand duchess for my operas, alterations of the sa and possibly even the Princess of Prussia were to add soly surrender my whole artistic activity to these three protectors as a kind of equivalent, and they would have the satisfaction of having kept me free and ready for my art I cannot ask for reement, but you can, and you and your intercession will succeed Possible revenues froht then entirely devote to the payment of the debts I left in Dresden