W. remains with me in his place; he arrived from Vienna with a Russian family a month ago, in order to spend the winter here.  Fortunately, he keeps quiet and does not molest me, for being by myself is the boon which I enjoy, and watch over with painful care.  In the Square I am literally run after by foreign princes; one of them, D., who boasts of knowing you personally, I was unable to avoid.  He lives where I have my dinner and, occasionally, waylays me.  He is an odd and apparently good-natured person.  Today he dropped down upon me with much enthusiasm between the soup and the cutlets, in order to tell me that he had heard one of your symphonic poems beautifully played on the piano, and by whom?  By a Venetian music-teacher, who has been made an enthusiast for German music by you and me.  This amused me very much.  D. also has been gained for your cause.  What more can you desire?  And all this happened in the Square of St. Mark at dinner, the weather being infamously cold.

Be of good cheer then, and may God bless you.  Continue to love me.  Write to me soon, and greet Altenburg a thousand times for

Your

R. W.

276.

Venice, November 26th, 1858.

I enclose you a beautiful autograph.

I cannot tell you how comic it appears to me that I have to transact Weimar business with F. D. I have a good mind to tell him that he had better leave my opera alone.  Weimar has lost all its charm for me since I have to meet so formal a person before I can get at you and the Grand Duke.  You are a very tedious set of people.

You told me two years ago that you were in possession of a score of “Rienzi” which I had left there on my flight.  If that is so, I should be glad if you would not attach much importance to its possession.  My original score is always at your disposal in case, as I scarcely believe, you should care much about this opus.  I have only a very few copies left.  At the time I had no more than twenty-five copies made, more than half of which I have squandered away.  If it must be, get a copy from Fischer in Dresden, and submit it reverentially in my name to the great Dingelstedt.  Have you had your score altered by Fischer?  In the third act there is a long cut and a change necessitated by it which I made for Hamburg.

Good Lord! it is miserable that one has to take all this trouble for a little money.  I am once more confined to my room, and cannot even get up from my chair; a neglected abscess in my leg causes me terrible pain; sometimes in the middle of my music I call out loudly, which has a very fine effect.

Have the Hartels sent you the first act of “Tristan?” You will have copies of the poem before long.

Farewell for today.  I have to indulge in a few shrieks, which in a letter would not sound well.

A thousand greetings—­oh!

From your

R. W. (oh!!)