Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of August 15, 1880

Overview

After sleeping better, R. spent the morning with Faust, Part Two, irritated by some passages and newly delighted by others, then enjoyed the public gardens and later dined with the Helbigs. Conversation ranged widely and sharply, from the Crown Princess to Beethoven interpretation to the value of Mommsen, and the day closed with Schopenhauer, whom the writer felt often seemed to speak directly from or about R.

Content

Sunday, August 15:

Up late, R. slept well after all, and in the morning he reads Faust, Part Two; a few things in it annoy him, such as Helena’s “significant group” after the words of Phorkyas, but much delights him anew, our “Let the phantom do what it will, the inquisitive Proteus,” etc. In the giardino pubblico [public gardens] with R., he is pleased with the clever use of the narrow terrain. We dine with the Helbigs.

At one point R. grows heated when the German Crown Princess is praised, and he describes the heartless triviality of this type of person, as shown in her behavior toward him. Frau Helbig plays us a Beeth. sonata very well; R. begs her to play one passage with more meaning, saying it is good not just to let everything sing, but now and again to allow something to speak.

Since regret was expressed over the burning down of the library, R. said to me, “It would be very much better if Mommsen had been burned and his books and manuscripts saved, for everything worth while about such a person is contained in his books.” In the evening he reads to me some fragments by Schop. about intellect (Parerga), and at such times I almost always have the feeling that it either comes from R. himself or refers to him.