My most honoured Sir,
Unfortunately I did not receive your card until late yesterday evening, since I did not return home during the day; as a result I was robbed of the pleasure of being able to see you and speak to you in Dresden, and it was impossible for me to return your score to you sooner than I am doing now.
I have been assured that the aim of your anthem was perfectly clear & that it achieved general understanding: my only cause for regret was that, in spite of the large number of singers, about half the choir - the tenors - were prevented from joining in effectively because of the very low range of the unisono singing, & that in consequence the singing did not perhaps emerge sufficiently powerfully. But if, after taking due account of this unfortunate circumstance, you were nevertheless satisfied at least to some degree with the performance, it would be a source of great pleasure to me.
I hope to be able to welcome you soon to Dresden for a longer period, & may therefore close by expressing the hope that we meet again soon on a friendly & permanent footing.
Respectfully yours
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 57