compelled by outward necessity to make concessions, made every step which I took for Paris a false one.  Now it would stand otherwise.  Formerly it was thus:  ’Disown thyself, become another, become Parisian in order to win for yourself Paris.’  Now I would say:  ’Remain just as thou art, show to the Parisians what thou art willing and able to produce from within, give them an idea of it, and in order that they may comprehend thee, speak to them so that they may understand thee; for thy aim is just this—­to be understood by them as that which thou art,’ I hope you agree with this.

“So on January 16, 1850, I go to Paris; a couple of overtures will at once be put into practice; and I shall take my completed opera scheme:  it is Wiland der Schmied.  First of all I attack the five-act opera form, then the statute according to which in every great opera there must be a special ballet.  If I can only inspire Gustave Vaez, and impart to him the understanding of my intention, and the will to carry it through with me, well and good, if not, I’ll seek till I find the right poet.  For every difficulty standing in the way of the understanding I, and the subject connected with me, are attacked by the Press; if it is a question of clearing away without mercy the whole rubbish and cleansing with fresh water—­in that matter I am in my right element, for my aim is to create revolution whithersoever I come.  If I succumb—­well the defeat is more honourable than a triumph in the opposite direction; even without personal victory I am, in any case, useful to the cause.  In this matter victory will only be really assured by endurance; who holds out wins absolutely; and holding out with me means—­for I am in no way in doubt about my force of will—­to have enough money to strike hard and without intermission and not to worry about my own means of living.  If I have enough money, I must at once see about getting my pamphlet on art translated and circulated.  Well, that will be seen when I am on the spot, and I shall decide according to the means at my disposal.  If my money comes to an end too soon, I confidently hope for help from another quarter—­i.e. from the social republic, which sooner or later must inevitably be established in France.  If it comes about—­well, here I am ready for it, and, in the matter of art, I have solidly prepared the way for it.  It will not happen exactly as my good-natured friends wish, according to their predilection for the evil present time, but quite otherwise, and, with good fortune, in a far better way—­for, as they wish, I only serve myself—­but as I wish to serve all.”

The history of this third Paris episode is distressing enough; but we to-day, knowing what Paris was and what Wagner was, need not trouble much about it.  I have passed over it quickly; but yet another excerpt from an Uhlig letter may be given to show how matters did not progress (dated Paris, March 13, 1850)—­