Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of April 1, 1871

Overview

April Fools' play among the children contrasts with a quiet, despondent household. Richard copies The Destiny of Opera while Cosima writes letters, but dreary weather and atrocious news from Paris weigh on their conversations. The noisy departure of the cook adds domestic irritation to the gloom.

Content

Saturday, April 1:

The children amusing themselves with April Fools’ pranks; everything very quiet. R. copies The Destiny of Opera; I write some letters.

Yesterday’s lovely weather is followed today by the most dismal, on top of that the most atrocious of news from Paris. We kill time in conversation, but the mood is despondent.

Noisy departure of our cook.