Wednesday, May 1:
R. unfortunately did not sleep well; Russ barked loudly. But he gets up early in order to show the children the splendid park immediately. Peacocks fill the air with their wild call, which we so love. R. says, "I always feel as if I were hearing Sanskrit words." A turkey, "almost certainly the prototype of the sailing ship," gives us great delight; swans, guinea fowls, etc.
The day before, R. paid his visit to the Duke of Wurttemberg, whom he found very kind and gracious. We have complete freedom here.
R. then holds a conference with the new architect of the theater, Bruckwald. He built the theater in Leipzig. Our Herr Neumann had got a carpenter to draw up the plan of the theater! Brandt is beside himself with relief at not having to have anything more to do with that man!
Lunch at 1 o'clock with the children. A telegram from Pusinelli in Dresden; they are giving a concert there with various pieces R. composed in Dresden.
In contrast, horrible behavior from J. J. Weber, who writes that he has pulled the chestnuts out of the fire for R.! R. says what he really meant to say is that he had gone through bad times with him, and has made a slip of the pen; but he will not permit Fritzsch to print Der Ring des Nibelungen. R. intends now to get rid of him on good terms or bad, and in that the agents Voltz and Batz must help him. They are conducting themselves splendidly; from Leipzig, for instance, they got 1,500 thalers. R. hopes to win a fortune through the new copyright law.
Feustel, incomparable, writes from Munich that six musicians will come from there. Duffl seems to be ashamed of himself. Fine weather; a magic dream world here, as in Tribschen!
In the afternoon, visit from a consistorial councilor, Kraussold, a onetime member of the Burschenschaft; a resilient, friendly man. Walk to the Schweizerei; meeting with an 82-year-old patron, von Braun. Splendid weather, very nice atmosphere.
At home, a letter from Councilor D.; they seem to want everything to be resolved in a friendly spirit. In the evening, punch. R. is contented and happy, the children blissful! Piano has arrived.