Dearest friend,
This time it’s me! With regard to our present “situation”, I expect my wife will have kept you “au courant” (as the Latins say). For myself there is a great deal I could say to you on the subject, but which I would not put into writing. Things look bleak in my German heart, and I am thinking increasingly of removing myself and my children from the German Reich — with an option on America. But it shall first have “Parsifal”: I am resolved to leave the matter to inner, rather than outward, circumstances, and present the work in Bayreuth - at all events - in the summer of 1882. I think the matter can be sorted out - decently - with Munich.
- Now comes the big favour which you will already have guessed on seeing the thick envelopes. I believe once again that my wife has already communicated with you on this point - through Gross. And so: -
Burger is to print the enclosed manuscript - part of the 4th part of “My Life” - in return for his guarantee of the most absolute discretion. The letters, type & paper must be exactly the same as those in the example from the earlier volume of the “Life” which you might care to show him; he can obtain the title vignette (an invention of my wife’s) from the former printer, who will certainly have kept the die: Bonfantini, printer of art prints and books in Basle. I am afraid I must ask you to undertake correction of the first set of proofs, and possibly also edit the headings on each page. For the final corrections, however, I shall have to have the sheets sent to me here. No more than eighteen copies are to be run off. -
My most pressing desire is to have a copy ready to send to the King in time for his birthday (25 August). But there is still plenty of time; it will not be a thick volume, today’s consignment already contains more than half the manuscript! -
You’ll do this for me, won’t you?
The air here is unbelievably good, and it fills me with hope; but I am extremely lazy. My “Affinities” are swelling in my head to the size of a Bible: but the paper - the paper! However, if you continue to be as resourceful as you have been so far, I shall certainly not be missed in the Blätter! - I am looking forward to the May number: I hope there will be something appreciative about me in it? -
You are all so deserving, while I appear so ungrateful; but time will tell: the day will come etc!
Sincerest good wishes to your splendid little wife and dear family! You shall all appear in the “Affinities”, - or certainly the two of us will, you, my dear friend, and
Your most loyal
and indolent contributor
Richard Wagner
(Ascension Day - whoopee!)
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 478