Best Wife,
My heartiest love, to begin with, and the wish that this letter may find you in good health and spirits! I've only just attained sufficient repose to sit down and write to you; the first two days in Vienna set me in a regular turmoil, particularly through the quantity of running about. But now for my history! — The journey was a slow one: no farther than Görlitz I had to wait 4 hours (Hr. Laforgue was my companion). Not until 8 in the evening did I reach Breslau: after a hurried look at the town, I called on Mosewius, who was immensely delighted to see me; we sat up together till 1. Next day, Saturday, the train didn't start for Vienna till 2 P.M.: after an awful night — for 3rd class on the Austrian line was a torment of hell! — I reached Vienna at 8 on Sunday morning, and put up for the first at an inn. How many 100 stairs I climbed on Sunday in search of a suitable room, I know not; all I do know, is that I nearly succumbed to fatigue. Finally, in a small side street leading to the Stephans-Platz I found a cheap room, 8 gulden the fortnight; Monday forenoon I moved in, and now have slept my first night there. There you have my journey's calendar: now for the impressions! — Good Minna, what would you not have said, if you had been with me this time! Even at Breslau I believed I was in Paris again, as compared with Dresden: this magnificent folk-life! Citizens with white staves; instead of police, the National Guard in blouses and plumed hats; public hawkers at every corner, selling placards, "There is no more Monarchy (with inauguration of the two-chamber system)," etc. At a station in Moravia we met the new Federal Governor (Reichsverweser); every station decorated with German flags. But Vienna — I avow! — seen for the first time again on a fine bright Sunday, it quite bewitched me. It was a rediscovered Paris, only more beautiful, gayer and German. During the 16 years I hadn't seen Vienna the whole city has been renovated: its half-million inhabitants, all bedecked with German colours, marched through the streets on Sunday as in triumph, — on Saturday, through the energy of the National Committee, a feeble, incompetent ministry had fallen! You should have seen these people's physiognomy; everything that repels you in the Dresden populace, would attract you here. The National Guard, dressed almost militarily, with broad 3-colour scarfs of silk; the students (8000) in old-German gowns, with plumed caps on their heads, long bayonet-muskets and sabres, keep watch: nearly all I saw were handsome fellows. And then this opulence, this life! this original garb of the women, an entirely new shape of bonnet with feathers and German-tricolour ribbons. On almost every house a German flag. And then the street-criers, men, women, children: "Fall of the Pillersdorf ministry!" 1 kreuzer; "The Americans will not forsake the Germans!" 1 kreuzer; "War on the Russians!" 1 kreuzer; "Final decease of the aristocracy!" one kreuzer. So it goes on. But everything gay, serene and youthful! Nothing ugly or low have I come across yet: everyone amiable, noble and blithe! God, how common and greasy does a certain town compare in my eyes! — Sunday night I was at the Theater an der Wien; they gave "Scenes from the Life of Napoleon" — Hr. Wohlbrück starring as Napoleon! A poor affair in every way. One thing amused me, however: not only had Pokorny adorned the whole house from ceiling to floor with German banners, but even the waiters, who called out Ice etc. in the entr'actes, were dressed in black, red and yellow, from top to toe. All fudge, no doubt; but it will shew you how things are looking here.
For my friend Müller I had to trudge to the Burg, where he was on guard. Yesterday I found Bauernfeld at last; he's a downright hypochondriac now — for two months he was completely insane, so I've heard — he sees nothing but black, and deems the time entirely unfit for experimenting with the Theatre. Possibly he's right, but I shall not give my efforts up for all that; I have a rendezvous at noon to-day with a Dr Frenkel, described and recommended to me by Bauernfeld himself as very active, intelligent and influential. — The theatres are in very low water now, a result of bad management. The Burg theatre has closed, — at the opera-house the singers etc. are going shares, without a director; I haven't been there yet: perhaps to-night. —
Certainly politics take the wind out of everything here more than in a smaller town like ours. In a city where questions involving the continuance of large states have to be decided every day, other interests naturally dwindle. In such a throng I'm very lonely still, — almost as in Paris; only to-day do I hope to make proper acquaintances. Yesterday it took me 4 hours to find out Bauernfeld alone; nowhere could I ascertain where he dwelt, or even if he lived here at all. Moreover, it rained the whole day yesterday, — I moved out of my hotel, and so forth. — How it runs away with money! I think I shall be able to live quite cheap, however, in private lodgings. —
This afternoon I'll write you more.
12. July.
I meant to resume my letter yesterday afternoon, but didn't get back to the house, as I now belong to Vienna hospitality. I have found my man — i.e. Professor Fischhof, a man who possesses my operas. I met him yesterday noon, and spent the whole day and part of the night with him. There's a man who appears to have understood me at once, lock, stock and barrel. Even before I unfolded my plan to him, he expressed his great delight at Vienna's having pleased me, since it gave him hope I would soon remain here to occupy an important sphere of action. Then I laid my plan before him: he fell in with it at once, and sketched out the following plan of campaign. The new Minister of Education, Exner, a man of much talent to whom everyone looks for great things, is a friend of Fischhof's. He will introduce me to him: thereon we want the Minister to bring the whole proposal forward with his draft budget for Public Instruction, and to name a commission to decide how much of it can be carried into immediate execution as a commencement. One thing has to be remembered, however: the present great preoccupation of all statesmen with the weightiest political affairs. Nevertheless I shall go on urging that at least the principle be recognised officially, whilst whatever can be carried out at once, should be so; and this chiefly concerns the Kärnthnerthor theatre (Opera), which is without a director and in a state of dissolution. Fischhof himself conceived the greatest hope of the thing: there was money enough in Vienna, said he, and if the plan could be published through print and proclamation, accompanied by a public appeal, he was sure 500,000 florins would be volunteered at once to set the matter going. — Well, that was our first discussion of the thing; further results will follow: Fischhof will arrange a meeting of the most important littérateurs etc. at his house.
So I can tell you of a start — and even if the whole plan can't be carried out forthwith, still I am certain, after this uncommonly sympathetic reception, that my presence here will bear good fruit.
Last night I was at the Kärnthnerthor theatre with the attaché to the Russian embassy and Fischhof, his Liberal instructor; a wretched ballet was played, "The Gamin of Paris."
Now, my dear good Wife, let this suffice for the nonce. I have saluted you morning and night; you have returned it, no doubt? for we two old grown-into-one are always together! You walk by my side all the day here; I point you out this and that, and converse with you. Farewell, be of good health and courage, and hold me dear! Many hearty long kisses from
Thy Richard.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 26