The worst is over. I will not waste time on a description of my last month; that kind of thing is best forgotten. It was no use in the end—I had to apply seriously to my diplomatic friends here. With toil and trouble—but with much goodwill [...] absolute necessities were provided, and it is a comfort to me that my wife really noticed little of my distress. After we had spent four more ghastly days in the house, she set off happily about a fortnight ago with the parrot. [...]
The Flying Dutchman is getting on, but only very gradually, in French. Finished or not, I am determined to leave on Monday evening. I shall spend a day taking leave of my wife at Soden. I would gladly get out of Liszt's invitation, but I hear it would make him perfectly miserable if I were not to come. Then on to Vienna, where I shall probably stay somewhat longer. When I cast an eye on my Tristan score, I can hardly think it possible as yet!
[...] Two precious years have been simply thrown away and I feel extraordinarily weary. What I have lost for art I have won, perhaps, for life, in one last deeply-graven lesson—not to try to force things to fit together which will not fit. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 496