"Figaro" must again perform messenger's service! Already I very much wanted to let you (especially the R.'s) read my last letter to Liszt, because I have most clearly explained in it the motives which led to my latest decision with regard to my future artistic plans. Now you also want the letter concerning the Goethe foundation: then it's time to see about Figaro. If anything of the sort should happen again, the Rausse books will follow. The horrid manuscript will give you much trouble. It is certainly not intended for everybody, so be careful before you read it to any one. The copies in Liszt's possession are — this I mention incidentally — much more complete.
Many thanks for sending the 764,835th part of the royal Saxon state library.
I will quickly answer one thing to-day, lest it should get forgotten. The article on Schumann was one of great weight and significance; if only Brendel knew what he has in you! The contents of your smallest contribution are great, and are now nearly always most refined and appropriate in expression. Roger excellent.
I am expecting a letter from Brendel. Whether he gets anything from me for his new year's number depends upon my humour, which I do not wish to force in any way. Some new arrangement must be made about the sending of the paper, for something stupid is always happening. The last time I had to pay 5½ batzen, and what did I receive in return? Nothing new except your Schumann article! All the rest were old articles, which I had already received from him. I should have liked always to receive at once, through the post, each fresh number that contains one of your articles. Instead of that, B. waits until there are several numbers, so that you write about the appearance of a new article long before I get it; whereas, in my opinion, I ought to receive the paper at the same time as your letter.
From the new year I will order a copy for myself, to be sent actually by post; for even if B. were willing to let me have the copy gratis, I am sure it would always be posted too late. A thing of that kind annoys me beyond measure. With all my Leipzig orders it seems as if I put my hand into …
My Zurich print-seller seems also to dabble in … as you have not yet received any portraits. I will inquire about them again to-day; but in the meantime, let me know if I may send you direct a number of portraits, which you or some one else would undertake to sell? In this case, how many? etc. Besides, as I am far away from Germany, and shall probably remain so for some time, it is quite possible that my friends would be pleased to have before them a good portrait of myself (instead of my very self); and as it further annoys me not to appear before them as I now am, but always as I used to look long ago — allowing for the painstaking violence done me by the lithograph — I have had the extremely vain (be it so!) thought that it would be well if a German music- or print-seller would decide to have a new portrait taken. He would then have to give the order to a portrait painter here, to take me and send the drawing on to him — voilà tout! Perhaps the drawing of Kietz made in March of last year — and, in my opinion, a very successful one — could at once be used for that purpose. It only comes to finding some one who would take up the matter. I, of course, cannot propose this to any one, but perhaps you or some one else could.
So much for the portrait business! Be good enough to write to Härtels somewhat to this effect: the copyist has finished the score. Do they want it for the purpose of engraving? If not, you must consider yourself, according to previous agreement, pledged to send it back to me. They might as well write to me and explain, etc. Stupid nonsense!
To-day I have written to Feuerbach. I am trying, with Herwegh, to get him to pay us a visit here shortly. If we succeed, our circle will become still more attractive and brilliant.
We have a very good orchestra here this winter. The musical director of the theatre, a young man of twenty-two, is thoroughly competent — he has both fire and precision. I have been again requested to conduct three symphonies: I choose No. 8, the Pastoral, and the C minor. As for other things, I do not allow myself to be worried. My disgust increases. I live only for my health and for my dramatic plans.
Apropos! Baumgartner has, at his own expense, had his songs published by Senff. See if you could not take this opportunity to write a really good article on the modern drawing-room song, and put in a good word for Baumgartner. I should be glad, for the young fellow's sake!
Adieu for to-day. More shortly. My best greetings to yours and to the R.'s!
I must soon have both of Liszt's letters returned. Don't forget this!
Manage in some way — perhaps the direct one would be best — that the spare copy of Oper und Drama may reach R. at W.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 47