[...] Again I tender you my heartiest thanks for the bold excursion to Lucerne which gave me the honour and pleasure of your esteemed personal acquaintance. I also have to thank you for the kind letter in which some days ago you gave me news which, in substance, I found far from cheering.
You tell me in confidence of Prince H[ohenlohe]'s uneasiness at the constant intrigues in the King's entourage, which appear to increase rather than diminish the King's mistrust of his Prime Minister. This troubles me greatly, for I should think it an incalculable evil if the Prince were to lose patience to carry through his task, and the King were to be thereby deprived of his support. I feel thus, simply out of love for my exalted friend and care for his welfare.
But how am I to make you see that I am led by the motive I have alleged, and by no other interest whatever? That my quite definite verbal assurance has failed to convince you of this, I can see in your last very kindly-meant letter. Well, I feel that it is important to explain to you once more most emphatically what my attitude is in this matter.
I am unaware of any personal interest in furtherance of which I could need the mediation of any person in this world with the King, or with the State, of Bavaria. My strongest personal wish is to live unmolested and forgotten here for as many years as possible in absolute tranquillity, putting forth my works. The King's loyal affection fulfils this wish of mine spontaneously. The artistic plans instigated by me go beyond my personal interests, and can only be realised at the cost of immense personal exertions and sacrifices on my part. I leave them entirely to the King's ardent will, and I may add that that enthusiastic gentleman urges them forward more than I could wish for the sake of that peace which I am momentarily enjoying. All the schemes I formerly evolved have been adopted, and their execution assigned to the Civil List; neither the intervention of the Minister of Education nor of Herr von Gresser is in the least necessary. All that prevents their being put into action at the moment, is delay on Bülow's part in accepting the very honourable royal proposals, Bülow being ill and out of sorts, and cherishing, were it possible, a still greater aversion than my own to returning to Munich.
Moreover, nothing up to now has stood in the way of my own return (which I by no means contemplate as a permanent arrangement), except the dilemma in which the formerly indispensable minister, Von der Pfordten, placed the King by threatening to lay down his portfolio the moment I came back. [...] If you are interested as a good Bavarian in keeping Prince Hohenlohe at the helm of the ship of State, please try to persuade him [...] to speak a frank and reassuring word about me to His Majesty himself. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 624