Enough of this, dearest Richard:  we shall remain what we are—­ inseparable, true friends, and such another pair will not be found soon.

During the first half of September I roamed about the Tyrolese mountains with the Princess and her daughter, and we stayed a few days quite alone in the Otz-valley.  Driven away by bad weather, we returned to Munich, quietly witnessed the festivities, and saw our friend Kaulbach every day.  Lachner told me that he had had some correspondence with you about an early performance of Rienzi.  “Tannhauser” I heard again at Munich, but “Lohengrin” had to be postponed owing to the sudden indisposition of Herr Lindemann.  Since I heard some passages of it from you, I know more of it than all the performances can teach me.

In order to carry out our original plan, and assert our rights even against the bad weather, we have come to Salzburg, and shall be back at Weymar in about a week.  Probably I shall find there the proofs of my “Dante” symphony, which I shall send to you at once, as the true child of my sufferings.

When shall I have the joy of reading “Tristan?” The Hartels informed me that the pianoforte score was in print.  Have you quite settled as to where the first performance is to take place?  According to all accounts the Carlsruhe people reckon upon it for certain.  May God grant that “Tristan” will put an end to your exile.  This is my hope.

“Rienzi” with Tichatschek is to be given at Weymar in the course of the winter.  Previous to that I shall go to Dresden, where I have promised Rietschel to pay my old debt to Weber, and to make one exception by playing several of Weber’s pianoforte compositions at a concert for the benefit of the Weber monument, the model of which Rietschel has executed with incomparable mastery.  On that occasion I shall ask for a performance of “Rienzi” at the theatre, in accordance with which I shall arrange that of Weymar, so far as our means will allow us.  If I had a little more money I should have preferred to pay the balance which is still due on the subscription for the Weber monument in hard cash, instead of playing to the people a few hackneyed pieces.  Weber must forgive a poor devil like me that I can do nothing better for him.  You wrote to me about this matter many years ago, and now that the model of the monument is ready, it is a point of honour to make an end of the matter and commence casting it in metal.  Write to me at Weymar how you like the city of the Lagunes.  I presume that C. R. is with you.  Remember me to him kindly, and tell him that I sincerely approve of his sonatas published by Hartel.

With invariable friendship, I remain cordially and sincerely

Your

F. Liszt.

271.

Venice, October 19th, 1858.

Be thanked, dear friendly friend; your beautiful friendship is the only thing that still impresses me; you give it me purely, fully.