on him, only just enough, in fact, to make him think it advisable to write the text of an opera himself.  He afterwards invited me to hear him read his libretto, which was a combination of the styles of Hebbel and Tieck.  When, however, out of a genuine desire for the success of his work, about which I had serious misgivings, I called his attention to some grave defects in it, and suggested the necessary alterations, I realised how matters stood with this extraordinary person:  he simply wanted me to be swayed by himself, but deeply resented any interference with the product of his own ideals, so that thenceforward I let matters alone.

In the following winter, our circle, thanks to the assiduity of Hiller, was considerably widened, and it now became a sort of club whose object was to meet freely every week in a room at Engel’s restaurant at the Postplatz.  Just about this time the famous J. Schnorr of Munich was appointed director of the museums in Dresden, and we entertained him at a banquet.  I had already seen some of his large and well-executed cartoons, which made a deep impression on me, not only on account of their dimensions, but also by reason of the events they depicted from old German history, in which I was at that time particularly interested.  It was through Schnorr that I now became acquainted with the ’Munich School’ of which he was the master.  My heart overflowed when I thought what it meant for Dresden, if such giants of German art were to shake hands there.  I was much struck by Schnorr’s appearance and conversation, and I could not reconcile his whining pedagogic manner with his mighty cartoons; however, I thought it a great stroke of luck when he also took to frequenting Engel’s restaurant on Saturdays.  He was well versed in the old German legends, and I was delighted when they formed the topic of conversation.  The famous sculptor, Hanel, used also to attend these meetings, and his marvellous talent inspired me with the greatest respect, although I was not an authority on his work, and could only judge of it by my own feelings.  I soon saw that his bearing and manner were affected; he was very fond of expressing his opinion and judgment on questions of art, and I was not in a position to decide whether they were reliable or otherwise.  In fact, it often occurred to me that I was listening to a Philistine swaggerer.  It was only when my old friend Pecht, who had also settled in Dresden for a time, clearly and emphatically explained to me Hanel’s standing as an artist, that I conquered all my secret doubts, and tried to find some pleasure in his works.  Rietschel, who was also a member of our society, was the very antithesis of Hanel.  I often found it difficult to believe that the pale delicate man, with the whining nervous way of expressing himself, was really a sculptor; but as similar peculiarities in Schnorr did not prevent me from recognising him as a marvellous painter, this helped me to make friends with Rietschel, as he was