Well, dear Mutz, I mean to write you properly at last to-day. It's always the same with me, when I'm at work; then I really have to crowd my time up, and how other people often have so much to spare for parties or card-playing, is beyond my comprehension. I work till 3, and can take up nothing else all morning if I am not to be made useless for work. Then I take my constitutional, generally get to dinner by ½ past 4, and am back home about 6. If I rest a moment then, I have only just time to write a letter before 8, when Karl usually comes; but I often have to countermand even Karl, if I've a number of letters to write. Working another short hour in the evening occurs very seldom, as I always have letters to write; a little reading still seldomer, in fact only when Karl doesn't come. I have been to the theatre some three times in all; I'll tell you of that by mouth one day. Lord knows we always have such a number of more serious things to discuss, and in particular you keep giving me so much renewed anxiety yourself, that I really never have the heart to entertain you with such a thing.
The amount of letters I have to write is appalling! Everybody is so dull of apprehension, and the simplest things have to be put on paper three times to and fro before I even can get the plain answer I ask for. They're all like that, especially Härtels and of late good Ed. Devrient. From the latter, however, I at last have elicited exactly how things stand with my projected descent upon Carlsruhe. I can't say I'm dissatisfied with this last information, because I see that the production of Tristan in my presence is at any rate ensured, and no longer depends on the grace of King Johann, which might have made it doubtful to me still. But what I'm going to tell you is in the very privatest confidence: as women never gossip, only men (of which you've lately given me such an infallible proof again!), I may count upon your strictest silence, mayn't I? Of course I didn't even need to say so to you; for, as you will perceive that its success depends entirely on the greatest secrecy, it goes without saying, that the secret will not reach the public ear through you. It is this: the Grand Duke has decided to let me come to Carlsruhe entirely on his own responsibility, and not enquire at all again in Dresden first. Once I am there, the Saxon Government may demand what it pleases, he'll let them talk and hold them off till I've done and the production is over. He has considered it in all its bearings, and is sure of his affair. Only if anything leaked out beforehand, if the Saxon Gov. got wind of it, and opposed it with distinct demands, that might make its execution impossible to the G.D.; whereas he knows how to excuse himself for the accomplished fact. That's how it stands; and so it's fixed and settled now for all eventualities. So — the 6th of September; we'll keep your birthday together the day before. The Devrients shall hire me a lodging close by them for us two and our animals, where you must arrive if possible before me, to receive me in it. Thenceforward, good Minna, we unconditionally remain together; whither we next direct our footsteps, will be likewise all settled by then.
This would also fit in with your prescribed summer cure in the country, which you would have finished by the end of August in any case. God grant I may receive you back strengthened then, and full of good trust in your health! I hope so! Your sadly bitter promises in the event of your not feeling pronouncedly better, I don't take as so seriously meant; I should think you must know that every creature, every animal, stands all the closer to me when I know it to be suffering, and how much more my poor dear sore-tried wife! You won't therefore suspect you'd be more indifferent to me if you were not suffering, will you? Enough on that sore point! —
I haven't arrived at writing Pusinelli yet; my God, I'm owing so many other letters! But it shall be done within the next few days. Like the true and valiant friend he is, he has undertaken all responsibility to me for your cure. It is nothing new to me, that you cannot be radically healed of your heart-trouble; even Dr. Ehrismann told me as much from the first: but I have repeatedly sought to console you with the knowledge that it looks worse than it is. At all events your ailment can be mitigated to such an extent that it becomes quite endurable, and you accustom yourself to it as thoroughly as almost every person in his second half of life has to get used to some chronic complaint. It will not prevent your attaining the full old age appointed you by Nature; but the principal thing needed for that, and no mistake, is peace of mind. With that you are rescued, and for that your physician is — I! I know my obligation, and faithfully shall fulfil it to the end of my life. First of all, whatever may decide itself about our future habitation in the next half-year, I am chiefly attending now to that which may and will contribute much to giving us such ease of mind that we can jog along anywhere: and that is plenty of money! — I am springing every mine now, to get all the profit I can from my works. I shall even renounce the printing of the full scores of my Nibelungen, since that entails sacrifices which would be simply deducted from me in the end; whereas I expect to be doing fair business in time with the pianoforte scores. I may count on 12,000 fr. income this year for certain; but more on that another day, when I shall have further definite results to state. —
Yesterday evening I received a telegram from Bülow on the success of Lohengrin at Berlin on the 23rd. All it says is: "Great success. Applause more decided than with Tannhäuser. Representation tolerable, especially Formes." Perhaps you already will know more details than I, — it is only through yourself that I heard of his scene with the public; silly snappish fellow! — The notice you also sent me about Liszt, to be sure, is very spiteful; indeed he didn't deserve that, neither was the scene at Cornelius's opera so bad as all that. These newspaper writers are thorough hounds. You know that that sort of thing doesn't affect me any longer. The paragraph about the G.D. of Weimar and a production of the Nibelungen amused me, especially the chorus of 200. Still, I have reason to suppose that something decisive has occurred at Weimar now, and it is precisely the pitiful conduct of a certain Court clique (with Dingelstedt) against Rienzi, that has contributed to this. Liszt is still silent, which makes me believe it this time. For that matter, the G.D.'s wanting it is nothing new. —
The news about Heubner profoundly distressed me, as you well may imagine! At first I believed I must make up my mind not to take another step with the Saxon Government; on regaining my calm, however, I saw that everything else I propose to do then can only have its due effect after I have done my uttermost with Dresden. Under no condition shall I submit to an examination; but I'll presently write to the new Minister of Justice, and put forth my last endeavour to win this man as friend and gain my amnesty through him. Should that fall flat, with a good conscience I can tell those to whom I next address myself that I have done everything to attain the selfsame end I should have attained long since with far less trouble if luck had only made of me a Badian, Austrian, or even a Russian subject. The Bundestag, dear Minna, cannot compel the King of Saxony to pardon me; but if the King will not accede to its representations in my favour, it can permit me to take up my residence in any other German state excepting Saxony. And that — I shall attain. As soon as I have the final refusal of the Saxon Minister of Justice, I shall draw up my petition to the Bundestag, and get it supported there by the Grand Dukes of Baden, Weimar, and Coburg, also the Emperor of Austria (through Minister v. Bach) I hope, and perhaps the Prince of Prussia. Eh, it has recently been suggested to me that, if I addressed myself to the Emperor of Russia (who has recalled all political offenders exiled to Siberia, and has now made one of them the Governor of a province), I should find in him an energetic mediator. No, good Minna, luckily I have still a card to play!
And now to get my work done first! I have sent Härtels some manuscript to-day; by the end of February I hope to have the third act itself in front of me. Ah, if all-bountiful God would but grant me the boon of remaining in fairly good health, not getting waylaid by too great cares, and above all, of always having right good tidings from yourself! Then — once I'm thoroughly in vein again, after that hideous interruption — I know I shall bring the last act fluently and finely to its end within 3 months. Meanwhile you'll be commencing your country cure; where? — that is just what I mean to discuss with Pusinelli. Then if we really have money, no doubt you'd better take a little recreation trip until I can be beautifully received at last in Carlsruhe by my flourishing old woman; when we shall meet again as if re-born, to learn the reason why we ever nagged and plagued each other so. I fancy that is pretty much how everything will hap; do you agree? —
I can thoroughly understand the Tichatscheck furniture being disagreeable to you now. Please do yourself no violence, but get whatever you want sent from Zurich. You may easily believe you'll be receiving some more money shortly; so don't gêne yourself, I shall not let you lack. —
Once again, then, let this be enough for to-day; I'm quite done up. — But tell the Devrient she is perfectly right that there's no artist like her nowadays, for she's a genius; but one oughtn't to make oneself angry about it, and above all, not turn bitter. To know a thing like that, is the true exaltation, not to quarrel over it. —
Now farewell. Greet the whole tribe also, which would please me thoroughly if it consisted entirely of women; because no scandal would reach your ears then, since it's only males that gossip! O you stupid Minna! Never mind, be a thousand times saluted by
Thy Richard.
O Nette! O Fips! O Jacquot!
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 158