Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of August 28, 1872

Overview

Marie M. again presses her to visit her father, but she and R. remain deeply uneasy and cannot see the journey as anything but risky. She spends the day with the children, writes to Marie M. about Perfall and her doubts, and reads her mother’s history of the Netherlands while R. studies A. Schlegel. In the evening young Rubinstein visits, and R. reads his work aloud; later, a chance meeting in the Schweizerei and R.'s remark about finding Fidi a male playmate bring a domestic note to the day.

Content

Wednesday, August 28:

Once more Marie M. asks me to visit my father! Unsatisfactory discussion with R.; great misgivings, this journey seems to us foolhardy. God knows what we shall decide; whichever way, we shall feel apprehensive.

R. works, I with the children; write to Marie M. about Herr von P. and my doubts about the journey. In the afternoon I read my mother’s history of the Netherlands, R. the writings of A. Schlegel, which he finds very interesting.

In the evening young Rubinstein is with us, and I beg R. to read us his work as a whole, which to my great delight he does.

I took the children to the Schweizerei; there we met R. with Russ, drinking milk.

Fidi very willful; R. remarks that he would like to find him a male playmate, to remove him from the constant companionship of women.