Sunday, January 21:
Telegram from Councilor Düfflipp, announcing his arrival this evening. Lunch at friend Feustel's, whose birthday it is.
R. not very well, finds his greatest pleasure in rereading Faust, tells us that Shakespeare, with Dante before him and Goethe after him, forms a line shaped rather like this: Shakespeare belonging to a culminating point in civilization; Goethe, no less great, to a time of decadence.
Councilor Düfflipp arrives at 11:30, talks about the time ten years ago when he came to Tribschen; he seems very friendly. Ten years ago! Memories crowd into my mind.