Volume I Part 29 (1/2)
Iround me is artificial, and nature everywhere is torn and broken
Therefore hear and grant my prayer Let me know soon, and know for certain, whether I may coly
After this language of despair, I cannot find the tone which I should have to assuht wish to communicate to you Most of these would be effusions of thanks, as you know Good Lord, that also drives me wild: that I always have to write this to you My irows into a most violent passion; I can scarcely wait for the day of your arrival ”Write” to me definitely about what date you will be here Let it not be too late Can you come in May? On May 22nd I shall be forty Then I shall have myself rebaptised; would you not like to be ht froo into the orld I wish you, too, would leave these Ger else around you? Add the Jesuits, and then you have all
”Philistines, Jews, and Jesuits,” that is it; no hus
They write, write, and write; and when they have ”written” a great deal, they think they have done so wonderful Stupid fools! do you think our heart can beat for you? What do these wretched people know about it? Leave theive them a kick with your foot, and come with me into the orld, were it only to perish bravely, to die with a light heart in some abyss
Let me soon have news of you; and, before all, let ly waited for by
Your
RICHARD WAGNER
ZURICH, March 30th, 1853
105
DEAREST FRIEND,
Your letters are sad; your life is still sadder You want to go into the orld to live, to enjoy, to luxuriate I should be only too glad if you could, but do you not feel that the sting and the wound you have in your own heart will leave you nowhere and can never be cured? Your greatness is your misery; both are inseparably connected, and must pain and torture you until you kneel down and let both be ed in faith!
”Lass zu deibt ein Gluck;” this is the only thing that is true and eternal I cannot preach to you, nor explain it to you; but I will pray to God that He h His faith and His love
Youas bitterly as you like I cannot fail to see and desire in it the only salvation Through Christ alone, through resigned suffering in God, salvation and rescue come to us
I had already indicated to you that I did not expect an answer from Dresden before ence and lukewarive you If, in accordance with your desire, I made your affair dependent on an ireatly compromise it Our court here is very favourably inclined towards you, and youtaken to open your return to Gero I spoke about it to our Hereditary Grand Duke, who positively assured me that he would actively intercede for you This you must not mention anywhere; but it would be well if you were to write a letter to the Hereditary Grand Duke, telling hinaniether Do not write too diplos of your heart, and send me the letter, which I will hand hiood mental and physical condition when I visit you at the end of May By then you must turn out your whole hospital, and I proain onfestivities of Princess Amalie and Prince Henry of the Netherlands will not take place till after the middle of May, I shall not be with you before the first days of June Seven or eight weeks must therefore still elapse
The ”Tannhauser” overture was received with enthusiasue, as Laub told ards the performance of ”Tannhauser,” the real state is very nearly what I wrote to you The tenor St, brother of the ue, and there will then be no singer for the principal part I also hear that there is no Elizabeth, and until you give me further information in the matter I am not inclined to put down the non-performance of Tannhauser to a fictitious order of the police while such real theatrical impediments are in the way Has St replied to you?
From Laub I hear that the supposed difficulties have been discussed in high circles (Count Nostitz, Princess Taxis, etc) in a manner not favourable to St, I should, however, not like to accuse St till we have sufficient proof of his bad conduct If you write to hi, we shall soon get to the bottom of the matter Kittl is at present at Frankfort-On-Main, where his ”operatic wants” are being supplied by ”Die Franzosen bei Nizza” The work is to be given on April 11th Probably he will stay here for a day on his way back, and through hiue complications
Kossak's critique of ”Indra” has amused me If you have not read it, I shall send it to you
Brendel has grand sche here for the next perfor Alfred,” in order to talk toout in the course of the suh, but I have still my doubts as to the means at disposal What do you ainst the ”Tannhauser” notice in the Grenzboten?
Do not be offended, dearest friend, because I have not yet written to you about the ”Ring of the Nibelung” at greater length It is not my business to criticize and expound so extraordinary a work, for which later on I aain a proper place for it I have always entreated you not to abandon the work, and ahted by the perfection of your poetic workreets ottliche Pracht; Nicht Haus, nicht Hof,--noch herrischer Prunk; Nicht truber Vertrage trugender Bund, Noch heuchelnder Sitte hartes Gesetz: Selig in lust und Leid, lasst--die Liebe nur sein!”
Counsellor Scholl will shortly read the four dra to a small circle which I shall invite for the purpose; and when I coh the whole with e heart and soul on the occasion
S wrote ish letter, in which he plainly says that the poem is a total mistake, etc I have not sent you this letter, because I think it useless, and shall never be of his opinion By word of mouth I shall let you know about various opinions which in the meantime I listen to without comment or discussion