The Hanover business has been settled satisfactorily, the Intendant having apparently seen the error of his ways.  I thank you for your well-intended advice with regard to Wehner, and regret to have troubled you with this trumpery business.

America is a terrible nightmare.  If the New York people should ever make up their minds to offer me a considerable sum, I should be in the most awful dilemma.  If I refused I should have to conceal it from all men, for every one would charge me in my position with recklessness.  Ten years ago I might have undertaken such a thing, but to have to walk in such by-ways now in order to live would be too hard,—­now, when I am fit only to do, and to devote myself to, that which is strictly my business.  I should never finish the “Nibelungen” in my life.  Good gracious! such sums as I might earn in America, people ought to give me, without asking anything in return beyond what I am actually doing, and which is the best that I can do.  Besides this, I am much better adapted to spend 60,000 francs in six months than to “earn” it.  The latter I cannot do at all, for it is not my business to “earn money,” but it is the business of my admirers to give me as much money as I want, to do my work in a cheerful mood.  Well, it is a good thing, and I will take courage from the thought that the Americans will make me no such offer.  Do not you instigate it either, for in the “luckiest” case it would be a great trouble to me.  Of your dear ones I never have any real news; I am frequently asked, and do not know what to say.  But you must greet them all the more cordially for me, and, if you can, love me with all your heart.  Will you not?  Adieu.

Your R. W.

And how about your great compositions?  To know them at last is worth a whole life to me.  I have never looked forward with such desire to anything.  Let me know at once that my score has arrived, so that I may not worry myself about it.

201.

One word, dearest Franz, to say that my score has safely arrived! 
I am anxious.

Your

R.

202.

Your “Valkyrie” has arrived, and I should like to reply to you by your “Lohengrin” chorus, sung by 1,000 voices, and repeated a thousandfold:  “A wonder! a wonder!”

Dearest Richard, you are truly a divine being, and it is my joy to feel after you and to follow you.

More by word of mouth about your splendid, tremendous work, which I am reading “in great inner excitement,” to the horn rhythm, page 40, in D: 

[musical notation] The scores of Berlioz I possess, but have lent them all to friends for the moment, and shall not be able to get them back for some weeks.

About the middle of November I shall send you a parcel of them.  You will find in them much to please you.

The day after tomorrow I am going for a few days to Brunswick to conduct, on the 18th instant, one of the Symphony Concerts given by the orchestra there.  For the 2lst, Sunday week, your “Flying Dutchman” is announced here, and at the beginning of November there will be a performance of “Tannhauser” in honour of several Berlin people (Hulsen, Dorn, the operatic stage manager Formes, etc.), who have announced their visit here.  I shall send you an account of it.