My dearest Friend!
I am in an awkward position. You could have no idea what the past year, since we met for the last time, has cost me. On top of it the unheard-of increase in expenses for my move to Paris and just now—no receipts at all. I'm not telling my wife anything about it, and I'm trying my best to get through the bad situation. Next year Tristan should bring me in a lot and Tannhäuser in Paris should yield a profit too. But just now I don't know where to turn. There is a sure fee of more than 5,000 francs in prospect for about next spring, and I should like to receive it in advance now: it is the fee for Tristan from Vienna. They are very anxious there to get the opera soon, but I can't give it to them now before having it performed myself. They have already paid more than 5,000 fr. to me for Lohengrin (that is, 2,000 fr. payable in old currency). As business is transacted, it was impossible for me to get that money in advance. So I see I have to resort to the help of friends. I keep getting news over and over again about how I, poor devil, am loved and highly esteemed in Dresden. Now let us try, dearest friend, how this can be put to good use. Do you know anybody who would be able to advance me those 5,000 fr.? I am sure there is somebody, only I don't know him. So don't be angry that I burden you with this care. Should it be really impossible to procure right away what is, after all, a reasonable sum on the time-tested strength of such a certain income? Since I am greatly and increasingly in debt (I neither can nor will let anyone know of this) I herewith enclose an IOU, which will perhaps serve at first. For heaven's sake prove to me that friendship's trust is not in vain. You would rid me of a terribly painful situation if you could help me. If the loan in its entirety could not be realized at once, half of it would suffice for an emergency provided that I could count on the remainder before the end of the year: but I wouldn't be really contented unless I could have the whole sum right away. But it must be handled decently; that is to say, they must trust my word and not compromise me prematurely in Vienna. In any case I would pay interest. If a simple draft for Easter of next year were preferred, I would be ready to issue it. Now see to it!
But above all my wife must learn nothing about it; she would be terribly upset if she knew I were in such a predicament. Therefore your wife must not know anything about it, either.
That Lüttichau has been airing his views to you; he even didn't refrain from abusing you: he preserves a silence toward me after unexpectedly having made my mouth water with news of you! I think Tannhäuser can be produced here by the middle of January. Then—I will at last get something from it. Pfui! You German! My head feels quite dizzy: my things have arrived from Zürich. What a trouble and expense! I have to make my last two rent payments in advance to secure my flat; but . . .
Now let's see what kind of fellows you are in my dear homeland!
Goodbye, a thousand greetings from your
Much harassed friend
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 211