O Muzius! Muzius!
What a dog's life it is! I really need superhuman patience, to hold out here. Yet I recognise that I must pay the penalty for my folly in accepting this absurd invitation to England despite my knowing that it was no place for me. Now there still are two long months before me to hold out; what idiocy! — I shall bring you a fairly good crop of grey hairs; if you mean to pull all of them out, I shall get some nice bald patches! As regards my true province I have absolutely nothing to look for here; the handful of trumpery concerts cannot blind me to that: they strictly are not my affair themselves. Ah, what nonsense it is, my being here! My head grows more stupid every day, and now you are beginning to try and make me stupid also: you make out that you received no letter from me between those of the 7th and 17th! Please have another good look, and do me no injustice; I have written you twice each week. And then I'm to allow that my last summer paletot (which I got made 3 years ago, when we were living at Rinderknecht's) was green instead of blue? You would dispute a thing like that with me! — And your birthday I know quite well; it's the 5th Sept. — if I referred to it otherwise, it must have been a mere slip of the pen. And all the other nonsense you want to palm on me, whereas it's really you who keep me waiting, and left my last letter unanswered two whole days; for I waited two days for it in vain. And I'm to be the scapegoat? That's the last straw; I am quite in the humour! — My God, those cursed 2 months more, and their trumpery concerts!!
For the rest, the Tannhäuser overture (of which I've fairly had my fill!) doesn't come off till the 5th concert; presumably we shall have an extra rehearsal then, with the music to Egmont. Our next concert will include a symphony by one of the society's Directors, Lucas; but he will conduct it himself, thank God! — Could I ever have believed I should have to mix in such concert trash again! It makes me feel quite pitiful; everybody will set me down as a composer à la Hiller and such-like. What bliss for me, to be numbered in that sect at last! — I have made one solitary choice acquaintance. A rich amateur who also composes quite nicely for his own amusement, a Mr. Ellerton, had himself introduced to me at the last concert; he said he knew my operas from Germany, where he had often seen them of latter years. He paid me a call, which I returned, when he took me into his study and shewed me my portrait hanging under Beethoven and Mozart; where — so he said — it has hung for 2 years. He assured me I had saved the Philharmonic: had Costa conducted again, he and many others would have dropped their subscription. There was something prepossessingly shy in his manner towards me, and he appears quite enthusiastically devoted to me. He also assured me, many here had made acquaintance with my operas in Germany; only, he agreed there was nothing to be hoped for me or my works here, and I must content myself with the friendship of individuals, who certainly were much attached to me. On Monday he took me to a performance of the Messiah, at which I nearly died of ennui. Yesterday I finally declined to go with him to the concert of the New Philharmonic, where that donkey Dr Wylde also meant to do the Ninth Symphony after me. At the rehearsal, I hear, he broke down, and they were compelled to stop: but that doesn't matter at all, his party has money and pays for the orchestra; whether a mess is made or not, it's all the same to the bandsmen. — O, it's a heavenly nation! — No, Mietzel, to England I do not come again, even if they paid me 500 pounds!! — I've something better to do, than threshing chaff here. —
Klindworth has already arranged the first act of the Walküre; he played it to me yesterday with prodigious virtuosity. I shall bring the arrangement with me, when Boom can learn it up — for hard it is — and you'll all get something to hear from it one day. —
I've heard Fidelio in Italian, with the Ney from Dresden; fairly bad. But on Tuesday I went with Praeger to a minor theatre (the Adelphi, in the Strand) where a pantomime (Zauberposse), Mother Goose, was played, sung, danced and scene-changed quite famously. That was the first evening's real amusement I've had. Madame Benoni (from Dresden) was one of the dancers! — The weather has turned windy and cold again, as in your part; I don't feel well, in consequence, and have taken an aperient again to-day. — For yourself, make a note of those seidlitz-powders; I'm glad they took away your migraine. I am truly sorry for poor Müller; let us hope he'll get the better of it, when you must give my best congratulations. — For the rest, I hear and see nothing of the world; cannot you write me how things are going before Sebastopol? I hear nothing about it here; not a creature plays politics, saving those who earn money thereby. Your close friendship with the family Jachmus quite touches me; it will end by your converting me to the opinion that Herr Jachmus understands my music. For to-day only greet the Wesendoncks most kindly; it really is they I like best in all the Hotel Baur. And Sulzer, Boom, Hagenbach — and whatever the others are called: salute all of them duly, and tell them I'm leading the life of a god here, what between taking to my heels and remaining! And you — you wicked woman! don't make me worse than I am, and bad as I am, hold me dear: I and the good God, we'll reward you for it! Fare tremendously well, and don't keep me waiting for letters so long again; it makes me very uneasy, do you hear? Ah, good old Peps, take good care of his eyes! — Ah, two months more! Ach! Ach! Ach!
There's a good Richel!!
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 86