Diary Entry of June 26, 1874
Another singer arrives, this time as Mime, and Wagner is struck again by the mangled speech and lack of crisp consonants among these performers. A visit from Franz Kolb, with his Rhine connections and family resemblance in behavior, adds a strange social echo to the day.
Friday, June 26:
Today it is a Mime who introduces himself; R. is shocked by the unclear speech of these people, who all possess no consonants, particularly no T’s. Visit from Franz Kolb, coming from the Rhine, curious repetition of the behavior of the Brockhaus family, to whom he is related.