Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of June 11, 1880

Overview

R. rose in good spirits, reviewed the previous day’s writing, and declared himself relieved to have finished the first part of his article and moved on to religion. Concern over Loldi’s illness hovered in the background, while the day itself held sun on the terrace, a trip to inspect the beginning of R.’s portrait, his own beer outing by streetcar, and evening recollections of Poland and Bismarck’s failure to act on vivisection.

Content

Friday, June 11:

R. slept well, and he tells me that in the morning he enjoys reading what he wrote the day before, and seeing whether it is of any value. Loldi unwell, giving us much to think and talk about. Untamable Nature!

At lunch R. says that he has finished the first part of his article and is glad now to have got to religion. “With art one is always obliged to think of Lübke,” he adds jokingly.

We have coffee on the dining-room terrace and enjoy the glorious weather. While I am in town, looking at R.’s portrait, just begun, R. takes the streetcar to Dreher’s to have a glass of beer, and returns by streetcar. We spend the evening on the big terrace, R. reminiscing about Poland.

Mimi Schl. has told me that Bismarck revealed to her his antipathy toward vivisection, and R. remarks how terrible it is in that case that he did not have the courage to fight for his convictions, but preferred to leave so far-reaching a problem to chance. Mimi has sent me the 1864 album leaf!...