[...] I still think my decision to regard the Dresden establishment only as a provisional establishment for you is wise and prudent, and best suited to my circumstances. My position, when you look into it, is plainly so forlorn and destitute that I should feel it wholly unjustifiable to dream of a permanent and comfortable dwelling-place for myself. My future prospects just now are utterly unreliable, and it is possible they may break down altogether, a state of things which is only to be remedied, perhaps, by a big new success. Countess Pourtalès, who has just generously helped me out with much-needed funds, adjures me at the same time to expect very little, or preferably nothing, from the Court despite the absolute trustworthiness of the Grand Duke of Baden. Consequently, when my new opera is finished, I see myself cast helpless upon the world, and nothing but the project of a fresh piece of work would or could necessitate in future and therefore justify quarters such as I temporarily inhabit. Under these circumstances it would be natural for my wife to share in my varying and uncertain fortunes. Yet as she has already taken part with me in many similar troubles and hardships, my first thought is to give her, at least, security, and provide her with a settled establishment, and I am delighted to learn that a most suitable place has been found, for you have often told me of late that, now that you are there again, you feel happiest in Dresden. Accordingly, my principal idea is to assure you of a safe and secure haven in Dresden and to provide you regularly with the necessary means of respectable subsistence there. I personally suggest that some little room in your house should be my permanent home, leaving it entirely to you to make it homely to me. In the course of time and, we will hope, as the result of a successful new opera giving me better prospects, I reserve the right of extending the Dresden establishment to cover all my requirements, only seeking that, whatever happens, you shall always stay there safely, for that can be ensured at less cost.
And now, in face of these clear and distinct dispositions, I have to endure the pain of being told by you that I am getting rid of you, so that I can wander about the world, while you have to be grateful for the charity of an invitation to Russia by relatives [von Meck] with whom you were once on the most unfriendly personal terms!—Really, I have no more to say.—
After the unfortunate outcome of Tannhäuser in Paris, I was advised (by Liszt in particular) to go to see Rossini, who has been receiving ill-natured reports of me in all quarters; and, indeed, Rossini himself sent to tell me he would be pleased if I would visit him. I thought to myself that a false and, to me, very humiliating construction might possibly be placed upon this visit, and, as I realised clearly that the good old man would never be able to understand me, and nothing but confusion could arise, I decided not to go to Rossini and preferred to incur the reproach that I had offended the amiable old genius.—I have just been handed an article, dated last year, from a German musical journal, giving a long and full account of a visit I am alleged to have paid to Rossini after the Tannhäuser affair with the object of getting his support and persuading him to intervene, whereupon Rossini is said to have dismissed me with witty scorn. Well, naturally, everybody has taken this to be true, and Weissheimer has been urging me to combat the lie, even thus late in the day. I have grave—and very sad reasons for not doing this and letting the matter rest as it is. No doubt this story will some day be included in my biography. As far as that goes, will not a heap of queer things appear there? Whoever finds your letters to me, will see it written down that my wife calls me and my conduct to her "heartless," "brutal" and "vulgar." So that will probably get into my biography, too. Well, I cannot stop it! But let us leave all that—and, above all, complete The Mastersingers. I have my hopes of it—and then we will see what next! [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 529