Volume II Part 38 (1/2)

DEAREST FRIEND,

Your letter, received today, has increased h I am not much worth as a sick nurse, I should nurse you well, and assist you in passing the time with more ease Alas! we are miserable creatures, and the feho have penetrated the deepest secrets of life are theold cur, Schopenhauer, is quite right in saying that we are ridiculous in addressing each other as MONSIEUR or citizen Conon de misere et de souffrance, or fellow-sufferers, and worse we are, TUTTI QUANTI, and nothing we can do can e in this The worst is that we know it quite well, and yet never like to believe it

What is this about the vise of your passport? Probably the impediment has been removed by this time; otherwise make inquiries as to the quarter from which it arises, whether from the Saxon embassy in Paris, or froly It is understood that I am quite at your service in this matter, but I should not like to make a faux pas, and it is necessary, therefore, that I should be more accurately inforht people

In my opinion Paris is the most comfortable, s in Gerree with the artistic doings there, you will find s, which will do you h the Alpine landscapeof a perht that your relations to Carlsruhe had reached such a point as to secure to you an asylu, unless the PROFESSORS should frighten you there) How about the first performance of ”Tristan” at Carlsruhe? Devrient inforive the work on the birthday of the Grand duchess in December, and that you would be invited to conduct it I hope no change has taken place in this Let me have particulars Perhaps I shall be able to assist you in si theat your portrait, which you had signed ”Santo Spirito Cavaliere”, it occurred to me to write a ”Rienzi fantasia” for pianoforte If it should amuse you for a moment my time will have been well employed I should tell you that your little bust adornsdesk You are of course without the company of any other celebrities--no Mozart, no Beethoven, no Goethe, or whatever their names may be To this room, which is the heart of the house, none of them is admitted

What a beautiful day it will be when I see you here

M will leave us soon, probably in October; until then I cannot get away from here If you should happen to remain in Switzerland till after that, I shall visit you in the late autumn Otherwise I shall see you at Carlsruhe or Paris

Relad you have taken a liking to him He is a splendid fellow In our small circle of most intimate friends he is called the ”hero” Has he shown you his ballad, ”Konig Helge?” It is a glorious thing

Be good enough to tell him that _I_ INVITE HIM SPECIALLY to stay with me on his return journey, and that I should think it very shabby of hi past ain as soon as possible, dearest friend, and continue to love

Your

FRANZ

WEYMAR, August 22nd, 1859

298

PARIS, October 20th, 1859

I hope, dear Franz, these lines will reach you exactly on the 22nd

Accept nificance to me that just at present, while I a our mutual relations, I should cost heron this day has borne such rich fruit that, without this gift of your existence, there would be a chass, of the depth of which he only can judge who loves you as I love you, and whodown this terrible chasination pictured it, I turnedfrohted, so deeply moved by your real existence, that you appeared to reet you on this, to hly important birthday Your friendshi+p is an absolute necessity to th

When shall I see you at last?

Have you an idea of the position in which I am, of the ain new courage and patience? Think this out for yourself, withoutyou You MUST know h we have not lived ether

I ask you, once ain? Carlsruhe is ether, has beco Do not wait for an external occasion whichme to you In the most favourable case the ”Tristan”

period, with its desperate and terrible exertions, would not be fit for our uided to me by your innermost heart, and may it impel you to come to me soon By the middle of November I expect h for me that I have to call you, and that you do not coe of Princess M through B yesterday; he does not infor to live Kindly tell me where I am to write in order to convey my wishes to her

Farewell; I as

So I am ”settled” once more, without faith, love, or hope

Farewell, and accept ratulate myself

Your