Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of July 18, 1872

Overview

The house contract arrived for Richard’s signature, and he reflected in characteristic fashion on his dream of eventual burial beneath the chestnut trees on the terrace. He read about Garrick and compared great actors to rare poets, then spun an odd but vivid analogy about the Romans of the fifth century. After a family lunch, a walk, and a visit from Rubinstein at the piano, the day ended with a curious report in the newspaper about Perfall and Bülow.

Content

Thursday, July 18:

R. receives the contract for our house for signature; he recently dreamed of his burial beneath the chestnut trees on our terrace, which were already very large, so that he felt he would live for a long time, since we have only just planted the chestnut trees.

He is now reading a life of Garrick, in French, and observes that it was a good mixture, French Protestant and Anglo-Saxon. He also comes to the conclusion that a really great actor is as rare a phenomenon as a great poet.

At lunch he says that, in order to visualize the Romans of the 5th century, one should imagine the present-day Frenchmen’s having been beaten by the Americans and, after the invasion, amalgamating with them; what would emerge from that would certainly be something very remarkable.

Family lunch. R. then goes for a walk, I stay at home with Loldi. Herr R. comes, plays Chopin. In the Tagblatt the curious report that v. Perfall is to become master of ceremonies and Bülow general manager!