Tuesday, December 19:
Councilor Diifflipp; the King is inclined to lay our case before the Reichstag! Diifflipp wants to come to us between Christmas and New Year’s to discuss business matters with Feustel. A great, and pleasant, surprise for us!
Friend Lenbach is still a very great delight to us; his spirit, like his talent, is becoming increasingly exalted. He is more and more manly and earnest, and remains free of all affectation. His portrait of Helmholtz is the finest he has ever done, perhaps the transfiguration of simplicity.