Dear Mienel,
I suppose you are vexed with me about my last excursion! I really had hoped to receive a letter from you to-day, and therefore postponed an answer to your last, as I knew it had crossed my own letters, and you would already have had an explanation of my several days' silence last week. However, I shall flatter myself you only wanted to write me with partridges again, which travel somewhat slower than a simple letter, and therefore wouldn't reach me with one till tomorrow. For to-day, meanwhile, I simply wish to tell you my uneasiness so as to induce you not to repay evil with evil next time. —
I have a piece of news for you as well, though: namely, Semper duly arrived here, and stayed here 3 days; Sulzer drove up with a spanking equipage to fetch us in state. Everybody was delighted with him; he had a conference with Escher and the President of the School Council, all of whom received him most flatteringly. I think he'll probably accept the post, but stand out for a fixed salary of 6,000 fr. The gentlemen seem very glad, for everything depends on their securing a celebrity to start with.
Semper pleased me greatly; he was in very good spirits, almost jovial, and as delighted as a child with everything. Unfortunately I wasn't quite up to the mark during his stay; the Föhn was blowing, and you know my nerves are always unstrung then. Still, the weather kept fair, and yesterday we took Semper to Horgen, where we gave him a small banquet; after which he went on from there with Klapperbein to inner Switzerland, to travel home by that détour. — He sends you his kindest regards, also his wife's. —
Otto Kummer also wrote me the other day from Dresden, craving my intervention with Schindelmeisser, as there was a good vacancy at Darmstadt for a violinist, and he would like to have the berth. I have done it, and accordingly the Kummers will transfer themselves to Darmstadt, not to Zurich.
Franziska's wedding has also taken place; the blushing pair are going to Weimar, where he has obtained a violinist-berth through Liszt. — I shall write to Liszt soon, by the way, touching an opera-performance for you; I will announce you shortly, too, to Schmidt of Frankfort. To the Frommann I wrote the very day of your departure. —
Within the next few days I must also be receiving money, when I'll send you another 10 louis at once. What gladdens me most, is that your reports on your health are turning out so well: they give me fixed hope that the whole journey will do you a world of good; and then you shall have it with me here as in Heaven, nothing but bliss and delight! — What do you say to that?
(Sulzer dragged us up the Uetli also; moreover, we dined with him once — I and Semper — at Bellevue!) I haven't set eyes on the Wesendoncks again since the outing; but of course they would send you their greetings. Tomorrow I shall tell them I've taken it upon myself. — The house is going on quite well. I am sorry on the whole for Nette, as she really hasn't one acquaintance to keep her company. —
Now, send another good account soon, greet Wolframs and the old folk from all my heart, and remain faithful to
Thy quite good again Hubbie.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 69