Best thanks, dear Minna, for your deliveries. If you have come by yellow paper, it isn't my fault; with the yellow there also lay pink and white. Make a note of that, and don't scare me another time. —
Scarcely had I proposed to devote this morning to a gossip with you, when Dr. Obrist came into my room and prevented me; so I probably shall bring but little off on paper before meal-time.
We have fine clear weather all the time, up here; only, it is never really warm, and one has to keep to one's winter clothing. A severe cold is clinging to me, and I do not expect to get rid of it here. To-day's bath, however, had a very good effect on me again, and I can quite imagine why the Doctor ordered me this cure; decidedly my nerves are getting stronger.
For yourself, just follow R.'s advice and go to Baden for a week. If it would afford you amusement, I should much like you to fetch me from here at the end of my cure, and perhaps stay on with me another week; then I could retrace with you the best excursions in these highlands, which indeed are very interesting. In no event, however, could I have expected you to stay up here the whole time without taking the cure yourself, for it really is an uninviting hovel, with the greatest lack of comfort in every arrangement, and most monotonous. I shall also have to be somewhat more sparing with excursions now, as during the cure they are very fatiguing, and especially this driving in carts (without springs) on the stony by-roads plays havoc with my nerves; I believe you couldn't stand it long, either, for the shaking is awful.
All the same, I took a very fine drive with Herwegh yesterday to Chiavenna, over the Maloja pass, where we were met in the valley for the first time again by a warm southerly breeze, so that it was with difficulty one could determine to return to this cold height. In bad weather it must be dreadful here! —
I have heard nothing of Franck; but Liszt wrote me from Weimar again yesterday: he had had a talk with Johanna at Frankfort; she meant to return there in a fortnight for a second starring, and then to sing in Tannhäuser as well; she further promised Liszt to sing "Ortrud" at Weimar next winter (what do you say to that?). Liszt seems to have much shamed both herself and her parents. He was unable to see the Lohengrin at Wiesbaden; a lady singer was ill. —
You certainly must so arrange your trip to Germany as to take the Music-festival at Carlsruhe (the 20th September) on your way back, when you can call on the Devrients also.
When Bauer delivers the music, just put it aside for the present: but tell him to finish off everything from Lohengrin at once; for that part is then to go to Carlsruhe. —
My letter to the new Grand Duke of Weimar was much to Liszt's liking. —
Now write me exactly when you're going to Baden, from which day to which day, that I may write you thither. As for any money-letters in the meantime, you must arrange for them to remain at the post till you're back again. —
But when is your Mathilde coming? Of a sudden one hears nothing more of her whatever! — Take good care of Peps; I had a horrible dream the other night: you brought me Peps all shaven and smothered with flowers, which so disgusted me that I tore them all off. Couldn't you manage to find the good fellow a match one could keep a sharp eye on, and thus get a legitimate heir to the memory of our old companion? Good Lord, when one is growing old, bereavements come harder and harder! —
Now take care of your health, and amuse yourself to the best of your ability. Be thankful, for that matter, you aren't here too; to tell the truth — without the cure — you'd have had a wretched life of it. But if you care to, as said, come and fetch me; it would greatly delight me! —
Farewell for to-day, then, old Muzius! Write nice and precisely and much; you know how glad I am to get your letters! Farewell, greet Peps, and think fondly of
Thy Richard.
They're actually hunting a bear now, who had devoured 6 sheep — not at all far from here — only the day before yesterday.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 49