Dear Natalie!
We hear that you've left Bachmann's and accepted a job in the Hôtel de Pologne. We don't approve of that at all, and I especially consider it unsuitable. If you need a good home, I now offer you one. It is with us in Zurich. Minna has become very sickly, and I'm seriously worried about her; for that reason I intend to make things in the house as easy for her as possible: she must no longer touch anything and must always remain quiet, otherwise we have much to fear for her. I'm therefore absolutely determined to take someone into the house who—with a cook—will look after the household, keep everything in good order, keep the seamstress busy, supervise the laundry, in short do everything Minna herself did up to now. But it would be really terrible if we should take a strange person into the house while you, our own relative, have to work in a hotel. I have enough confidence in you to believe that you—if you make it a point of honor—can do just what is necessary in our house. Therefore I'm offering you the position—with Minna's approval—and under the following conditions: You'll receive a yearly salary of 200 francs, and of course the appropriate presents as a member of the family. You'll get the room next to our bedroom, with the bed as it is. Otherwise you can do with your time what you like so long as you keep up the household in the way Minna has kept it up to now.
If you agree to this, I'd like you to start on New Year's day at the latest: but then I'll also ask you to hire a good servant in Leipzig or in Dresden and to bring her along; we've already spoiled Cathrine so much that she is no good any more. Perhaps you've met a good maid: whatever she asks she'll get; I'll immediately send traveling money for the both of you. You must do everything possible to get a good maid.
First answer me at once so that I'll know whether to look around elsewhere or not.
Minna sends you her best regards! Farewell!
Your
Richard W.
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 132