Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of November 13, 1875

Overview

R. was worn down by another difficult rehearsal, especially the struggles with Frau Grahn, and went straight to bed after coming home. She spent the day in galleries and visits, lingering over Dürers, Cranach, Velasquez, Murillo, and a very pleasing Canaletto, then read Harry Arnim’s pamphlet in the evening and reflected that Bismarck had been legally and formally in the wrong, even if his motives were understandable.

Content

Saturday, November 13:

R. to rehearsal, has trouble with Frau Grahn, returns home very worn out, goes to bed.

I visit the Harrach Gallery, above all two Dürers; a Cranach, a Potter, two Velazquezes, a Murillo, a Volterra, and a very charming Canaletto. Then to Marie Donhoff’s.

In the evening I read Harry Arnim’s pamphlet Pro Nihilo; from a formal point of view Bismarck seems to us to have been very much in the wrong, though he must certainly have had his reasons for not wanting to have anything more to do with this man.

If he had been king, a simple dismissal, with no reasons given, would have been easy; as a minister he is obliged to give reasons for his withdrawal of confidence, otherwise it looks very much like arrogance and injustice.