Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of February 26, 1881

Overview

A very bad night leaves Richard shaken, including a dream in which Cosima's late return home drove him to the edge of despair. The doctor prescribes compresses for the finger trouble, and a walk with both dogs to visit the ailing Joukowsky lifts the mood somewhat — one dog inspecting the paintings with apparent curiosity. Alone together in the evening, they discuss Hans von Bülow's presumptuous alterations to Weber's music and share their revulsion at accounts of European conduct toward Asian peoples in Jacolliot's books on India.

Content

Saturday, February 26:

R. had a very wretched night, and his fingers irritate him more and more; he dreamed, among other things, that I did not return home until midnight and announced quite calmly that I had been trying out costumes at Lenbach’s: “Are you trying to drive me to suicide?” he had asked, beside himself. The doctor comes, looks at the trouble, prescribes compresses.

We go for a walk and to friend Jouk.’s with both dogs; Marke literally examines the pictures. Our friend is ill and probably sad as well. We then stroll in the palace gardens, hear a blackbird in the distance, a sad sound amid mud and snow!

In the evening great abstinence, and completely alone. R. talks of alterations which Hans has made in Weber’s Invitation to the Dance; he finds them patronizing and utterly unjustified. We glance through Jacolliot’s books on India and are each time revolted by the way Europeans behave among the Asians.