Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of December 28, 1875

Overview

She keeps to their resolve to speak only of what is bearable, but Mimi's letter still reaches R., prompting him to draft a reply to Bismarck. The day is not free of pain, since she is later struck by a severe headache, though the evening reading of Goethe and Chinese poems brings a calmer close.

Content

Tuesday, December 28:

Although I have a firm arrangement with R. not to discuss unpleasant things, but to fight against them or bear them, and only to talk about the beautiful things, I manage to inform him of Mimi’s letter; thereupon he drafts a letter to Prince Bismarck, a copy of which I sent to Bucher. Everything gloomy and harsh can be borne in love!

But in the evening I am plagued by a violent headache.

We read Goethe’s The Secrets and some fine poems translated from the Chinese.