Dearest and least worrying of friends,
There are people whom I continue to find somewhat worrying. But time will tell. For the present I wish you a painless delivery and, in order to ease your labour pains, am sending you the two latest numbers on “Conducting”.
The crest has turned out very well, and we have every reason to be grateful to you for the care you have lavished on it. But it reminded me of my old misgivings about the vulture, which everyone is bound to take for an eagle at first glance, at least until some natural historian explains that there is a “cinereous vulture” that is very similar in appearance to the eagle. But since - because of the allusion - it is important that the “vulture” be instantly recognizable as such, we would ask you to prevail upon the engraver to avail himself of the first available picture of such a beast and to hang the vulture’s characteristic ruff around the neck of our bird. Of course it will not be possible to do this without altering the neck in some way, but it may none the less turn out a success.
I entirely agree with the paper to be used for all the copies, of which, however, only twelve in all are to be struck off. I find this number is exactly right for my purposes since, apart from my concern with regard to preserving the text, my only other worry is how to safeguard it from misuse. These 12 copies will then acquire real significance. -
We have nothing but catarrh and influenza in the house at present; dreadful weather, with the air like that in a badly aired farmhouse. I am making only slow and depressing progress on my work.
I am again having trouble with my young monarch: I expect no good will come of it, and am afraid I shall again have to suffer considerable annoyance. The Academy has sent me - but you already know about that? As a result I shall not be dedicating “On Conducting” to them.
For the rest I hope for a speedy and satisfactory settlement of a number of difficult issues at which “the world” will then no longer need to shake its head. In the meantime Plato has again been of help: we finished the Theaetetus yesterday. And in February we plan to take a closer look at Socrates-Euripedes: I am very much looking forward to it. - And so, be of good cheer, like a real Prussian cavalryman!
Sincere good wishes!
Yours,
R.W.
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 391