Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of March 24, 1874

Overview

Spring weather contrasted with R.'s continuing illness and the strain of feeling exposed to hostile talk and misuse of letters. Reports of another attack in the press, the bitterness of local Jews, and Disraeli's extravagant claims about Jewish influence all fed a sense that they were surrounded by distortion and bad faith.

Content

Tuesday, March 24:

Perfect spring weather, but R. unfortunately is still not well; he cannot work. He receives a letter from Fritzsch, which shows once more that a letter from R. (to a Herr Luckardt) has been misused - against Fritzsch himself; R. replies. Another headline, “Latest Wagner Swindle,” reports that he has summoned Frau Mallinger to Bayreuth to study the part of Elisabeth. Firm resolve to write no more letters to anyone - Israel will not be appeased.

The dean said today that whenever R. is spoken of, it is only the Jews here who react bitterly. I read some quotations from a novel by Disraeli - how he claims for Israel all the great men in art, science, even religion (the first Jesuits, he says, were Jews). A very curious phenomenon.

The Berlin schools are said to be teaching Der Ring des Nibelungen side by side with the Edda. Again spent the evening conversing.