Friday, August 16:
Since I tell R. all my thoughts about literary and dramatic art, he says, “It is always the same things which occupy us, and our understanding of them is so identical that we are always considering and enriching each other’s ideas.”
I write several letters, and among other things send Herr Hartmann his Päpstin Johanna back. R. works on his essay. In the afternoon to the Schweizerei with seven children.
Letters from A. Frommann and a very interesting one from a cellist, Herr De Swert in Berlin, whom Wilhelmj has engaged for the Bayreuth orchestra and who explains his absence at the Ninth Symphony by telling us that Herr de Ahna, a former Wagner supporter who was entrusted with finding players in Berlin, had been so intimidated and influenced by Joachim that he had (1) not engaged the good players in the orchestra and (2) canceled everything at the last moment, which had at the time struck us as very reprehensible.
Final evening with the Svendsens; cordial parting from these dear, excellent, and very well-educated people, who are now going to Christiania.