Best Brother Fischer,
In hot haste to-day before post-time a line or two with a pressing request!
I am asked for the Tannhäuser. Get the theatre score of Tannhäuser given to you from the office, and hand it quickly to a good copyist, so that he may copy me the new ending of the Third Act, and as speedily as possible. Then get my music given to you by Hähnel; take from it two copies of the Tannhäuser score, pack them up and send them with the copied new ending by mail-coach (at my expense, of course) to me here. You also might have a second copy made of the ending, which you could send to me later on. If Hähnel gives up the things — and you are willing to be troubled with them — take everything to your house, or do what you like with it! So much, to-day, in haste.
How your letter (through Uhlig) has rejoiced me! Of that you can form no idea! You shall receive an answer; that I promise you! Greet also Tichatschek, who has also heartily rejoiced me: he too will soon receive an answer. Farewell for to-day, and do not be angry with me for giving you such a lot of trouble.
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. 103