The author of the essay cannot refrain from pointing out to the honored reader who wrote the marginal note the baselessness of the suspicion implied. How could I have intended a mere personal advantage in drawing up that voluminous outline for reorganization of one of the most important institutes of art? What advantage would come to me if the sole leadership were conferred upon me? In my salary increase? Besides 1,800 Reichsthaler, guaranteed, a yearly gratuity of 300 Reichsthaler has been granted to me under certain conditions: on entering the aforesaid position my yearly income would be reduced by 100 Reichsthaler, since the salary of 2,000 Reichsthaler would be without the royal gratuity. Or would I look for an increase of my absolute power? I am even now in the possession of absolute power, but under restrictions. Thus anyone who reads my essay can hardly suspect me of writing my elaborate treatise out of mere egotism; he must recognize that I wished to be useful to the institution in question and not to favor myself, since my income would rather have decreased and not increased in spite of my enlarged activity and responsibility. Therefore I feel greatly offended that the whole outline as presented appeared to the honored reader as nothing more than a poodle's trick, bespeaking only my selfish interest.
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 62