My good Mutz,
I really am robbing myself of a couple of minutes, to send another couple of lines after my telegraphic despatch of to-day. As you will know by now, I am in the act of departure, and have a terrible deal to attend to first, particularly in the way of correspondence. Besides which, I'm very flustered and sleepless; I drafted this morning's despatch in the night. My blood gives me a lot of trouble, for which the Spring is probably to blame; nor is the thumping of my heart to be despised. Neither can one say that this climate is particularly beneficial to the nerves, though I haven't found myself either better or worse on the whole than in other winters. In any case I'm going away most willingly; the dearth of walks becomes unbearable in the end. I'm looking inhumanly forward, on the contrary, to the mountains and their air; I shall make an expedition every week.
For the rest, good Mutz, everything is turning out passably. It rejoiced me much, that I was able to allot 100 louis d'or from Härtels to you alone, I being indemnified by the Vienna sale of Tannhäuser. I'm also paying Heim completely off to-day.
I have now declined the Ritter subsidy for good and all. Taking your hint, I learnt through Karl that the Ritters had had great losses on their Russian investments through the last war, and that Frau Ritter had only not apprised me of her difficulties because it was the very time when that quarrel arose with Karl, and she on no account would let it look as if her aid were stopped in consequence of that. That sufficed to make me address myself to Frau Ritter, as early as last November, and assure her that my prospects for this year, and my future in general, were so rosy that it would be wrong of me to lay her under contribution any longer. This I accompanied with a heartfelt and sincere acknowledgment of her uncommon, never sufficiently to be thanked-for service to myself, and so on. She was so affected by it, and thanked me so fervently for my "kindness" and "delicacy," that I may term the close of this relation almost still more beautiful than its commencement. She is an extraordinary woman, and the whole family, for all its oddities, remains to me a great and most precious exception. Salute them all from me again to-day most kindly.
So, dearest Mutz, we stand entirely on our own legs now, and as you see, they'll carry us quite well. Enjoy the 100 louis d'or right merrily and free from care; one may hope they'll last you till we meet again; if not, I'll soon attend to more: I attend to you gladly, you see, for it gives me great joy. Please deny yourself nothing. Take a still finer lodging at Schandau; you can indeed: reflect, I herewith am giving you over 100 thaler a month. I want you to move in perfect freedom and plenty; so — hire a nice lodging. I like to lodge nicely myself, and can't permit my wife to be worse off. Take a carriage twice a week too, or as often as you want, and do all the beautiful drives to the Kuhstall and other parts. I implore you, enjoy this summer to your heart's content, and let no consideration deter you from anything that might enliven you or do you good. Your health will thereby take a decided turn for the better, and I shall then have the agreeable duty of maintaining and advancing you on that good road. But that's the very way you'll make it possible to me; so don't let it trouble your conscience. If your money doesn't last until the end of August, when we're to meet at Carlsruhe, I'll send you more; I am looking ahead, and shall not leave you stranded, you see. —
I too am looking forward to this Spring, and think of nestling at Lucerne quite comfortably for my last act. The perfect solitude, without any acquaintance, will do me much good in those splendid surroundings. Now and then I shall go to Brunnen and up the Seelisberg, and shall be quite contented with a little chat with folk there. So — we'll each install ourselves right pleasantly, that we may meet again refreshed and merry. —
I can't possibly write any more to-day. At 6 to-morrow morning I start for Milan, where I shall spend a day looking at the Gallery and churches; then via Como — Lugano, Bellinzona, Gotthardt, direct to Lucerne. Piano, bedding etc., are already en route. I hope to find the proper lodging quickly now, and in any case shall write you immediately after my arrival; for this once please write me poste restante.
So a thousand hearty, hopeful greetings; be good to me, and stay firmly convinced that I'm sincerely and heartily good to you.
Thy R. W.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 165