My dearest friend,
It will no doubt cost me my entire Frankfurt “Tannhäuser”, but you are going to have to forward to me another 5 louis d’or (i.e. 100 fr.), which I would ask you to send to me in Geneva, poste restante. I should add that my wife and I began making plans this morning, and it was decided to go via the Borromean Islands, Domodossola, Simplon, Wallis etc. as far as Chamonny, so that we shall then fetch up in Geneva, where there is the possibility of our arriving without a sou to our name. It was stupid of me not to have asked for 500 fr. all at once, since it amounted to the same thing. Now you must swallow another bitter pill and further deplete the finances of the canton of Zurich for our benefit: but do not worry, “Tannhäuser” will help you out of the frying pan - into the Venusberg of a satisfied conscience.
I was delighted at Minna’s arrival. I shall reward her by showing her things that are really worth seeing. And we shall certainly bring back some charming memento for you as well.
Fare you well, and may it please you to convey my very best wishes to all our friends. Kind regards from my wife and from
Yours,
R. Wagner.
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 147