I expect Berlioz about the middle of February.  Do you know the score of his “Damnation de Faust?”

My “Faust” symphony is finished.  There are three movements:  “Faust,” “Gretchen,” and “Mephistopheles.”  I shall bring it to you at Zurich next summer.

Remember me to your wife, and continue to love

Your

F. L.

January 1st, 1855.

The Princess sends her thanks and congratulations.

171.

Dear Franz,

I am able today to send you particulars about London.  Mr. Anderson, treasurer of the Philharmonic Society and conductor of the Queen’s band, came specially to Zurich to arrange the matter with me.  I did not like the idea much, for it is not my vocation to go to London and conduct Philharmonic concerts, not even for the purpose of producing some of my compositions, as is their wish.  I have written nothing for concerts.  On the other hand, I felt distinctly that it was necessary for me to turn my back once for all upon every hope and every desire of taking an active part in our own artistic life, and for that reason I accepted the hand held out to me.

London is the only place in the world where I can make it possible to produce “Lohengrin” myself while the kings and princes of Germany have something else to do than grant me my amnesty.  It would please me very much if I could induce the English people next year to get up a splendid German opera with my works, patronised by the court.  I admit that my best introduction for that purpose will be my appointment as conductor of the Philharmonic (the old), and so I consented at last to the sale of myself, although I fetched a very low price:  200 pounds for four months.  I shall be in London at the beginning of March to conduct eight concerts, the first of which takes place March 12th, and the last June 25th.  At the beginning of July I shall be at Seelisberg.  It would be splendid if you could visit me in London; in any case I must produce something of yours there.  Consider this.

Do not forget Joachim; when I am once in London, I can easily arrange the matter.

It is splendid that you have finished “Faust,” and you may imagine that I am most anxious to see it; on the other hand, it is a pity that you will not show it me sooner.  At the same time, I shall be glad to go through it with you at the piano, and to make its acquaintance in that way, seeing that my attendance at a good performance under your direction is for the present out of the question.  The vivid idea which you know how to convey cannot even approximately be replaced by anything else; and I am more than ever intent upon getting the right impression from the first, for I greatly distrust acquaintances made by means of the abstract notes.

It is an absurd coincidence that just at this time I have been taken with a desire to remodel my old “Faust” overture.  I have made an entirely new score, have rewritten the instrumentation throughout, have made many changes, and have given more expansion and importance to the middle portion (second motive).  I shall give it in a few days at a concert here, under the title of “A ‘Faust’ Overture.”  The motto will be—­