Most honoured Sir,
I am extraordinarily obliged to you for your kind but far too complimentary letter. I should be deeply flattered to have my name added to those who have been invited to become founder members of your society and would ask you to do this for me.
Your extremely important essay had already reached me, and I must admit to my weakness and say that until now I have not had the courage to read it in detail, since an initial glance at it had moved me beyond measure. But no doubt I should take my courage in both hands. I intend my son to become whatever he wants to be, and to learn whatever he wants to learn: I shall insist only that he learns enough about surgery to be able to administer first aid to both humans and animals, and to steel himself - somewhat better than his father - against the sight of physical suffering. I have greater courage when it comes to moral suffering. Yesterday I officially became a member of the local Society for the Protection of Animals. Until now I have respected the activities of such societies, but always regretted that their educational contact with the general public has rested chiefly upon a demonstration of the usefulness of animals, and the uselessness of persecuting them. Although it may be useful to speak to the unfeeling populace in this way, I none the less thought it opportune to go a stage further here and appeal to their fellow feeling as a basis for ultimately ennobling Christianity. One must begin by drawing people’s attention to animals and reminding them of the Brahman’s great saying, “Tat twam asi” (“That art thou”), - even though it will be difficult to make it acceptable to the modern world of Old Testament Judaization. However, a start must be made here, - since the commandment to love thy neighbour is becoming more and more questionable and difficult to observe - particularly in the face of our vivisectionalist friends.
Everything has to start somewhere, and so I am taking the liberty today of sending you the enclosed sum of 100 marks, and would ask you to be so kind as to pay it into the account of the society which you are planning to set up. If my means allow it, I shall continue with similar contributions in future, which I hope to be able to do every three months. What I must then do will emerge once the society has been established and you are kind enough to inform me how I can be of use to you. May I ask you to extend my most cordial good wishes to Herr Krausse - whose cynological significance had escaped me until now - and to accept the sincere respect and deepest regard of
Your most obedient servant
Richard Wagner
P.S. I have just received a most civil letter from Major von Kochtizky. No doubt you will be kind enough to convey to this most worthy gentleman both the contents of my present letter and my most humble respects.
R.W.
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 472