Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of June 11, 1872

Overview

Richard finishes his letter, and after a few domestic tensions the writer spends time with the children in the garden and reads Prudentius. A long walk through the park and pine wood brings a rare sense of peace, with flowers, birds, and the children's good health making the day feel almost blessed. By evening she can say, with gratitude and humility, that Richard is back at work and that Christus is finally done.

Content

Tuesday, June 11:

R. works on his letter, which he completes and which I find quite masterly. After some domestic crises I go into the garden with the children. Read some of our nephew’s Prudentius.

Took a long walk with R. in the splendid park; roses, acacias, jasmine, everything blooming and smelling sweet, behind it the pine wood. How easy it then becomes to forget what a wicked world we live in!

I am writing these lines on our balcony while R. copies out his essay; blackbirds, orioles, thrushes twitter and sing, the children are well, I have hopes that R. will return to his work. Thus I am happier perhaps than any other creature in the world and thank God in humility, penitence, and joy.

In the evening finished Christus.