Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of November 8, 1871

Overview

Lucca reports growing success for Lohengrin in Bologna, while Wagner wonders why proofs of his second volume have not arrived. Cosima writes honestly to Pecht about his Hamlet drawing, and Heckel proposes ideas for Wagner Societies. Melancholy over domestic burdens, renewed reading in Gibbon, dismay at Constantin Frantz, Beust's resignation, a sleepless night, Italian lessons, a last rose from Wagner, and the start of Plato's Republic all crowd the combined entry.

Content

Wednesday, November 8:

Mme Lucca writes that the fourth performance proceeded brilliantly and that people are now taking to the second act as well. R. works, and is astonished not to have received proofs of the second volume; a printers' strike, perhaps? I write to the painter Herr Pecht and give him my opinion of the unsuccessful Hamlet. Letter from Herr Heckel with proposals for the Wagner Societies.

We are in melancholy spirits, R. and I; R. maintains that I am leading a wretched life because I devote myself to the children! We take up Gibbon again, then look through Constantin Frantz's new book in great dismay. "Clumsiness and envy, those are the characteristics of the Germans," says R. The chapter on Bismarck makes one really angry. Today's sensational news is the resignation of Beust!

Thursday, November 9: Wretched night, due once again to Fidi, but I arose cheerful. I write to Hans. R. works. Family lunch. Walk in the garden in mild weather, with melancholy thoughts of our having to leave here one day. Richard brings me a lovely rose, the last. In the Robbers' Park everything is gleaming gold, a splendid but sad color.

First Italian lesson. R. corrects the proofs of Lohengrin and is glad to find in this poem no word needing alteration. In the evening we begin Plato's Republic.