My Most Honoured Sir,
If I have left your friendly and helpful letter so long unanswered it is because this letter is designed to inform you definitely of the day of my arrival in Paris. [...] For the same reason I am only writing a few lines now, for soon I shall meet you and hope to be able to discuss things with you by word of mouth. I leave here by diligence on Monday, the 16th of this month, and shall be in Paris very early on Tuesday. And now to come at once to one of the main points, I once again take advantage of the kindness for which I cannot be sufficiently grateful and ask you to engage in advance a room sufficiently large for myself and my wife, in an hôtel garni as you yourself suggested and, to begin with, upon a weekly tenancy. [...]
As to my affairs, only this much, that I would never have remained so long in Boulogne and paid English prices if I had not, by a fortunate accident, met Meyerbeer here, who may be immeasurably useful for my plans and with whom I have already linked myself as securely as I have been able. But that, too, we will discuss by word of mouth, as also your news of my family. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 1, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 46