Wednesday, June 7:
We all wake up feeling well; R. reads through his State and Religion and is pleased with its good sense. At lunch we talk about the Greeks and the Persians, and the Count goes to the length of declaring that the Persians would always have beaten the Greeks! But R. intends to pursue his theory about Alexander and to read his history of the Persians.
R. and I drive up to the theater, summoned by Herr Brandt, and inspect the tower, meadow, and transformation scenery with satisfaction; R. is very pleased with it all. We have some beer in Herr Moritz’s little garden, amid caresses from Faf and Freia, and R. exclaims that life among artists is the only pleasant life; only artists understand. He then talks about the use of painting on the stage, saying it is like the use of music in drama; people may hold it in contempt, but in fact it provides the living element; and he puts machinists above architects, who nowadays can only imitate.
Returning home, we say goodbye to Biagino. Then a letter from Daniela attracts our sorrowful attention - oh, Lord! ... R. reproaches himself for having restored the link between the child and her father. A diversion is provided by Herr Seitz’s publication of the costumes, an act which rather surprises us.
In the evening R. reads the first pages of State and Religion to us, then his poem to the King, written almost 18 years ago. He finds the sentiments expressed in it embarrassing and deplores the things one does in order to escape the specter of boredom.