Dear Friend,
I have kept on fancying that I had still to receive a letter from you, or from one of you, my friends, and that if I wrote I answered that at the same time. Probably you have for the moment nothing special to communicate to me, as you know that in one important point I am cared for. The news from X. has deeply touched and affected me, and truly in more than one respect! With women's hearts it has always gone well with my art; and probably because, amid all ruling vulgarity, it is always most difficult for women to let their souls become as thoroughly hardened as has been so completely the case with our political men-folk. Women are indeed the music of life: they receive everything in a more open and unlimited manner, that they may enrich it with their sympathy. While I was expecting news I was surprised by a remittance of money from Dresden, through Herr P.; I at once wrote back, as well as I was able, and described the feelings prompted by these proofs of love and sympathy on the part of persons whom I scarcely knew. If such experiences render every man good, noble, and cheerful, at the present moment they have quite a blissful effect on me. I have never felt the consciousness of freedom so beneficent as now, nor have I ever been so convinced that only a loving communion with others procures freedom. If, through the assistance of X., I should be enabled to look firmly at the immediate future without any necessity to earn a living, those years would be the most decisive of my life, and especially of my artistic career; for now I could look at Paris with calmness and dignity; whereas, before, the fear of being compelled by outward necessity to make concessions made every step which I took for Paris a false one. Now it would stand otherwise. Formerly it was thus: Disown thyself, become another, become Parisian in order to win for yourself Paris. Now I would say: Remain just as thou art, show to the Parisians what thou art willing and able to produce from within; give them an idea of it, and in order that they may comprehend thee, speak to them so that they may understand thee; for thy aim is just this — to be understood by them as that which thou art. I hope you agree with this.
So on January 16th, 1850, I go to Paris; a couple of overtures will at once be put into practice; and I shall take my completed opera scheme: it is Wiland der Schmied. First of all I attack the five-act opera form, then the statute according to which in every great opera there must be a special ballet. If I can only inspire Gustave Vaëz, and impart to him the understanding of my intention, and the will to carry it through with me, well and good; if not, I'll seek till I find the right poet. For every difficulty standing in the way of the undertaking I, and the subject connected with me, are attacked by the press; and if it is a question of clearing away without mercy the whole rubbish, and cleansing with fresh water — in that matter I am in my right element, for my aim is to create revolution whithersoever I come. If I succumb — well, the defeat is more honourable than a triumph in the opposite direction; even without personal victory I am, in any case, useful to the cause. In this matter victory will only be really assured by endurance; who holds out wins absolutely — and holding out with me means (for I am in no way in doubt about my force of will) to have enough money to strike hard and without intermission, and not to worry about my own means of living. If I have enough money, I must at once see about getting my pamphlets on art translated and circulated. Well, that will be seen when I am on the spot, and I shall decide according to the means at my disposal. If my money comes to an end too soon, I confidently hope for help from another quarter — i.e., from the social republic, which sooner or later must inevitably be established in France. If it come about — well, here I am ready for it, and, in the matter of art, I have solidly prepared the way for it. It will not happen exactly as my good-natured friends wish, according to their predilection for the evil present time, but quite otherwise, and, with good fortune, in a far better way; for, as they wish, I only serve myself — but as I wish, I serve all.
Don't make such a fuss about my last work! But I should be a fool were I to deny how pleased I am that it has taken hold of you. From Wigand I know nothing about it; certainly ten louis d'or have been sent to me from Leipzig for my first pamphlets, but no news besides. I hope, however, it is printed? The misprints in the first works were cruel, and often quite distorted the sense. Do please correct the new one! I have also begged Wigand to see to it. After this piece of writing I was so determined to do no more literary work of that kind that now I must laugh at myself; from all sides necessity urges me to put pen to paper again. If we are quite candid, we must also truly confess that it is the only thing which has sense and aim; the real art-work cannot be created now, but only prepared for — yes, by revolutionary means, by destroying and beating down all that deserves to be destroyed and beaten down. That is our work, and quite other people than ourselves will be the first true creative artists. Only in this sense do I conceive my impending activity in Paris: even a work that I may write and produce there can only be a momentum of revolution, an affirmation sign of destruction. Only destruction is now necessary — to build up can only, for the present, be caprice.
I have still very much to say to those before whom I place my Art-work of the Future; therefore I made inquiries respecting a newspaper, in order — even if only in outline — to be able to utter my thoughts aphoristically about certain matters. Now my wish is that a sheet should appear once a week, or two to three sheets a fortnight. Such a periodical must in every number contain a full cannon charge, to be sent against any rotten tower; that overthrown, next time another would be attacked, and so on. The cannonade would last as long as there was ammunition. That would be noble and useful, and were I in Germany I could attend to such periodicals all by myself — perhaps this even would be possible from abroad. Now if you wish to start a paper, I beg you to get rid of all that smells of "musical paper": always conceive the undertaking from a general standpoint — Art and Life — and truly according to their core and essence, not according to the husk; under which, on the one hand, I understand politics, etc., and on the other, modern "art criticism." With that we could not even entice a cat from behind the stove: to such stuff men have for a long time, unfortunately, been accustomed, and thus their sight has been darkened for the kernel of the matter. I have been written to from Stuttgart about a "monthly paper," in the programme of which "Art and Life" also figures: I have promised to take interest in it, and also have recommended you; but when it comes to the upshot there is far too much "politics" and other conventional stuff in it, German "patriotism" and similar nonsense, the contents of which are too familiar to us. However, I must send something: probably an article on "Genius." Do get your articles out soon! Make haste, for sometimes it seems to me as if everything would be too late — yet one thing consoles me, that what is really good cannot be either late or early. If my Art-work of the Future should soon appear, please send me here at once a copy "in wrapper" per post — at my expense, of course.
Everything can be addressed to me here up to January 16th: afterwards, Paris, Mr. Albert Franck, libraire, rue Richelieu.
(This last notice is specially for Wigand, if he will send me a few more copies of the work about which I am asking.) I still cannot get a sight of the Zeitung für Musik here.
What is my dear little Heinemann doing? Has he recovered from the trouble, the anxiety, and fright of which I was the cause? I hope my last letter has calmed him, and heartily wish he would testify the same to me by writing. In any case the best comfort for you all is the knowledge that I am so thoroughly helped: yes, I confess, in every way that is a consolation. I always expect every day to receive a letter from you; Fischer also owes me one: still I will send this off to-day, even if you gather little more from it than that I live and — thanks to my friends — am courageous and full of spirits. Also, under such money-shower conditions, my wife ought not any more to show a sceptical, anxious face: I hope also to have convinced her that whoever helps me intends only in my person to help art and the holy cause for which I fight.
Affectionate greeting to Frau R. and Herr P. from me! I shall soon have much to write to K.: but do see if he has anything of a voice! Were I now of his age, and what he is, and had I as much voice as I had formerly, I should without hesitation become an actor: as actor, and poet, and musician at the same time, I would even at dead calm revolutionise the whole drama; for who but the actor could have the practical force for it? Think, dear friend, if Tichatschek had, in addition, my resources, or I his voice, how would it stand with the theatre nowadays? Our cursed writing of abstract poetry and music is the very devil to get on with: we have the will and not the power. Well, more on that matter! But first I should like to know how it stands with K.'s voice. Early in the year I expect to be in Zurich again, to get to work: he must then come to me; he could live with us, and thus I could see and show him what he should do.
Adieu! Write soon to me, and don't pre-pay any more letters now.
I will write again before I go away.
Farewell, dear friend, and don't delay the Vespers to-day.
Your
Richard Wagner.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 5