Dearest Friend,
It grows more and more doubtful whether I shall be able to come to you at the end of this month; that is precisely the time for which all our visitors — for instance, Liszt — have announced themselves this year; also I am at the commencement of a course of waters, which may be very prolonged as the weather at present is not at all favourable. I don't suppose I shall be able to leave here before the middle of August, and then propose to stop away till about the re-opening of your performances — somewhere in Switzerland, whence I then would come to you. It would be well if so much about this sort of thing didn't find its way into the papers at once!
I abide by it, that the success of your undertaking at Mannheim gives me quite peculiar joy. Be assured of that!
Just now I feel very worn, and need great indulgence.
But have no doubt of me, and remain always good to
Your
old good
Richard Wagner.
P.S. On his visit (to me most enjoyable) Fischer said something from you about the tantième payments. I leave it to you, to pay me the provisional 5 per cent at once or not. However — if you can, it would suit me if you now sent their amount to the end of June (1st half year) — I have some heavy disbursements! — R. W.
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner to Emil Heckel, with a Brief History of the Bayreuth Festivals, trans. William Ashton Ellis (Grant Richards, 1899), No. 88