Thanks for yesterday's letter, dear Minna, which I found awaiting me on my return from Pilatus this morning. In the first place I inform you that I've just packed up twenty Napoleons for you, which I shall hand to the Post with this letter, but not send in the letter itself, since money-packets (as I know from experience) always arrive several days late, and I wish my letter not to be so long delayed, in order that you not only may have news of me (which seems to be very seriously disquieting you already, according to your letter of to-day!) but also may learn in advance that money is on its way to you. —
As you will have gathered from my last letter, I have been very undetermined about my steps of late, the immediate cause of which has lain in this passport delay. They issued me another pass at Zurich, as I had succeeded through Hagenbuch in renewing the validity of my habitation there; so that the only hindrance resides in the French visé. As I already have told you, the envoy informed me he would have to report to his government in Paris first; that was a fortnight ago, since when I've neither had an answer nor my pass back. How much this fresh chicane in my position puts me out again, I have told you before, and I really am resolved to take no further step at present, and in particular not to approach the Grand Duke of Weimar again for intervention, since he has behaved most backwardly to me in every respect, and I am heartily sick of all this begging. If I find at last that there's no other course for me, I'd rather write to L. Napoleon direct: meanwhile, however, nothing presses me to give myself at all away in that direction. Paris is said to be very unhealthy to stay in just now; already they're talking of cholera. Olliviers don't return there for another 3 months. I have been answered concerning Rienzi, that under the latest political constellations this subject is completely impossible again; otherwise I get hardly any answers at all from there, and in any case my conscience tells me I am not the man to carry anything through in Paris unless I'm met half-way. Consequently the only value Paris retains in my eyes, regarded calmly, is that, supposing Germany stays closed to me, I there may hope to live the most conveniently and comfortably with you, both quietly and yet with some distraction. The finding of an abode was therefore my chief consideration, since I cannot reckon much on any other Paris prospects now. But I won't conceal the fact that at bottom I shudder at the thought of our settling down in Paris for all time; and so I still cleave to the hopeful possibility that my visit to Karlsruhe may, in fact must have results which perhaps might relieve us from all necessity of setting up our home in Paris. The consequences of a success of Tristan and my personal intercourse with the Grand Duke are at any rate incalculable. How if I were to declare, for instance, that I refused to quit Baden again: would the Grand Duke have me expelled or extradited? — Those are mere ideas, of course; but I set great and decisive hopes thereon. — The approaching death of the King of Prussia, who hitherto has much checked the Prince Regent in this sort of matter, may also be of moment to me.
All these are considerations which determine me calmly to await God's judgment, and before all to see if I obtain my passport visé. In addition, I gave you to understand last time that I have had unexpectedly heavy expenses again of late; consequently I am obliged to wait for a reinforcement of my finances, which make my Paris project almost impossible for the moment. Do not let that disturb you afresh, though, but go on getting all the comforts you require; you shall never lack before our meeting, when further provision shall already be made.
It was quite impossible for me to stay at Kaltbad; these pensions are really not for me, and this one least of all. In fairly bad spirits I resolved to await further developments at the Schweizerhof again, where I can live the quietest and most sans gêne. I have only taken one small room; as I don't want to unpack the piano again, I can manage with that. I was compelled to decide on a definite abode again, were it only because the proofs of the full score of Tristan are very urgent now, and I had to let Härtels know at last exactly where to send me them. So I am seated here again for an indefinite period, and gladly would wait in perfect peace for dear God to send me something pleasant for a change, as my every effort stays so futile. —
That your visit to Dresden should have so greatly upset you again through the amount of talking, is quite conceivable, and again has made me very anxious. Keep thoroughly quiet now, and repeat with me: Who leaves the issue in the hands of God! Don't fash yourself for anything except your health. — A Herr Seroff, who likewise attended the first two performances of Lohengrin, has come to Lucerne expressly to call on me. His accounts (he is a connoisseur, and very intelligent) agree with yours on many points. He is enraptured with Tichatscheck and Mitterwurzer, but refuses to hear of the X: she fits the part of Elsa as the fist the eye, her appearance is coarse and common, her face wears a singular look of mischief all the time, her acting is quite absurd. Dearest Minna, that chimes only too closely with my own experience of this singer, and even through your praise of her performance there peeps the great constraint you put upon yourself — for good reasons — to gloss over her many defects. Consequently I believe Dresden still owes me an Elsa; which is saying no little.
Regarding the band, Seroff tells me the wind-instruments were excellent, but the strings, on the contrary, played flat and without energy; which agrees with what Dräseke also had told me of the Kapelle's present form. The tempi are said to have often been very false, and the cuts I've been told of, as at the close of the first act and in the duet in the 3rd, are so stupid and outrageous that it comes very hard to me to write to Tichatscheck as yet, since I don't like to repay his otherwise so fine performance by promptly lecturing him for having approved of such cuts, or perhaps even suggested them. What you write me about Mitterwurzer, on the other hand, indeed refreshes me; for I consider him the most genuinely talented and nearest me of all the singers I know. I intend to write to Tich. and Mitterw. tomorrow; I should like the younger Fischer to get a line too. (Tich. himself has written me nothing yet, however — beyond his telegram.)
To the King of Saxony, dearest Minna, I cannot write again; after the way in which all my letters have been received — down even to Lüttichau — I should only have to prepare myself for a fresh humiliation. Whoever it is that so warmly advises me to do so, first should give me at least a speck of guarantee that my letter would bear some kind of favourable fruit: if Lüttichau, for instance, could assure me that, it would be something different. I shall wait, however, for the document of which you write me.
Just now I again have a time, and a very prolonged one, when nothing prospers with me and I meet obstructions everywhere. Thus I had written to Moudon for N., and first to M. Page, as you wanted; after a long wait, the other day I at last got the answer that every vacancy was filled till Easter, and moreover the sister-in-law, who hitherto taught English at the institute, had gone away from Moudon, so that no more English lessons could be given at their place. Now I will write to the second address, and see if I can obtain any better reply.
Nothing remains, then, but to hope that things may soon grow better! I really think it ought to come to that at last, and many people on this earth might have occasion enough in what I offer them to tender me joy and uplifting for once. The impression you derived from Lohengrin yourself has much rejoiced me, and more than that; for indeed I have to bear in mind that, as set-off for the many hardships and sorrows of life which have been caused you through your union with myself, the gifts of my art are the only compensations possible to me: accept in that light the exalting impressions of which you tell me, and reflect that a man who produces what I produce, in the main can recompense others for their sacrifices in no other way than with those products. Therefore be fond of my Lohengrin too; it belongs to all I have to offer you! —
And now farewell for to-day; tell me if you receive the money safely; confide in me, as in our destiny; avoid any over-exertion! Pay another visit to Lohengrin, but to nobody else, that you may not needlessly excite yourself: quite alone; don't tell a soul you're there! —
And now, God keep you!
Thy Richard.
A request: — Please send me the Rheingold score at once. Declare value 10 thaler.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 185