My dear Heinrich,
Now let us be serious! My young King wants me to have everything I need. I need a secretary, but of the kind that I need. He must be able to deal with my business correspondence for me, keep my manuscripts in order, make literary and musical fair copies, and make arrangements of my scores etc. — in a word, he must be completely versatile. Do you wish to take this on? I think that, as a start and as a basis on which to build, it might serve you just as well, if not better, than the dreary business of giving lessons. My affairs would occupy you only occasionally, although at certain periods you would no doubt be very busy, but generally you would have sufficient completely free time to be able to do your own work, or even - if you can find talented pupils - to give lessons. I can confidently offer you 400 fl. a year during the periods when you have board and lodging etc. here in my house, and 600 fl. for those periods when you have to provide your own board and lodging (apart from the midday meal). However, except for the 12 months from next autumn until the following autumn, when I assume I shall be moving into my own house, you can live with me: here, as in my own house, allowance will be made for your accommodation (with piano). Bülow’s position in Berlin rested upon the 400 thalers he received from the Conservatoire, a sum which is at least the equivalent there of 400 fl. here. I can easily help you to expand and exploit your literary activity: a good deal can be done here. If you manage to produce any decent artistic work, you will find that the success of your endeavours receives much encouragement from your being here with me. - What does Vienna have to offer you?
If you accept, you will make me very, very happy! You know of course that the secretary is merely an excuse for having my friend here with me. If you wish to bind your life to mine (and how long will this life of mine last?), you will, I hope, never have cause to regret it. And how important, how splendid, and how reassuring it will be for me always to have my witty and friendly companion here beside me! -
And so - shake hands upon it, and have no scruples about accepting. I know what I am doing, for the friendly will which now provides for me wills it so. I would beg you therefore to take up your appointment punctually on the 1st of June. Your room is ready, and I know you will like it here from the moment you arrive. It is utterly delightful! -
I believe I may be right in hoping that you will not need to reflect for long. All the right decisions are swiftly taken. Would you be kind enough to ask Tausig to hand over to you the orchestral parts from my concerts? You can either bring them with you as refundable excess-baggage, or have them sent on ahead as express freight: but the former is better, since it avoids tedious formalities. I would similarly ask you to bring with you the various books of mine which are still scattered around the place at Tausig’s & Cornelius’s.
Only - do not make me wait beyond the 1st of June. Here in my splendid isolation I yearn desperately for someone of your stamp, and - given the man I am - I suffer from this deprivation.
I dare not say any more on the subject of Cornelius: he has not answered a single letter, or not what I would call “answered” (his delightful birthday poem is a different matter!). There is something about him that often mystifies me: God knows why he often causes me so much worry! I have grown accustomed to regarding him as a gift from heaven, like good fortune, good weather and the like, but I see that I cannot expect fate simply to hand him over to me. It would be splendid if he, too, were to come, and come soon! For it really is divine here at present, and it offends me strangely to think of what I am offering you both, and to see you, for your part, doubtful and hesitant, ignoring my offer in favour of the pitiful lives that you both are leading! -
If Fritz does good business with the various theatres, I should welcome it: tell him to see whether he can extort the 300 fl. for Trotter by the 15th of June. On my present secure income I can of course afford to maintain secretaries, but fresh supplies are needed to deal with certain Viennese upholsterers.
Well then! A thousand good wishes to your dear, loyal family in the Praterstrasse! - Let me know soon when you will be arriving! - The fast train will get you to Munich at 5.30 in the morning, and then take you on immediately to Starnberg at 6.30; Franz will collect you in the boat, and bring you across the lake. If an opportunity presents itself, we may then go to Munich together and spend a day there, having a proper look at the place.
Adieu! Come soon! Won’t you?
Sincerely yours,
Richard Wagner
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 301