Thursday, August 17:
Fritz Br[ockhaus] sends his book on the principle of legitimacy. Otto Wesendonck thanks us for Siegfried. Letters arrive from Herr von Gersdorff, Frl. Nietzsche, and Bechstein. Hanlein, the pianist, visits and reports that ten certificates of patronage have already been taken up in Mannheim.
I send Siegfried to Prof. Nietzsche and make the copy for the King. R. has completed his articles; he now has as much material as is required for the first volume. He has put his youthful pieces in order and has much enjoyed this curious task, saying that he enjoys being an author, it is so easy. “It is true, the real genius has little to say. The fact that the Italians have not been very active as writers is really proof of their deep artistic instinct.”
In the evening he reads me the essays, and I remark, in connection with a simile, that the moon does not get its light from the earth, but from the sun. He is unwilling to believe this; we look it up in the encyclopedia and laugh when we discover that I am right.