Thursday, May 4:
Mimi writes that Herr von Bronsart is arranging a concert in behalf of Bayreuth, and that my father has agreed to play the E-flat Concerto in it. Herr v. Bronsart seems now to have regained the courage to voice his old convictions, since Herr v. Hülsen is well disposed. Pitiful creatures!
Read more of Goethe and Wolf in the evening, and was still satisfied with Prof. Bernays. Talked a lot about Goethe's searchings; also about our time of sadness.
Received a volume of the war work, magnificent from the very first sentence, the simplicity of Tacitus, yet no affectation of Roman brevity. The army is now the only thing R. likes and respects.
In the evening he says his only joy is in me, I am all that he has; and it struck me recently as very curious that, while I was immersed in my sad night-thoughts, he dreamed that I was working in Munich in a grocer's shop. He came there to fetch me, I remained at work, saying, 'It is the only way, the children are no longer with me' - very melancholy.