Again a wretched night for R.—and that on top of all the terrible work he still has to complete, and this terrible undertaking with all it comprises! At times I feel as if we must go under—to my worries about his health I must add my worries about the children, my worries about our financial circumstances. —
Vexation (as recently in the discussion with Voltz and Batz) is thoroughly harmful to him, but how can it be avoided?
At breakfast R. talks about the writings of Constantin Frantz; not much can be said against his critiques, except that he overlooks in them the greatness of the personalities concerned and that he is playing into the hands of the Catholic party. Certainly the frivolous way in which everything is viewed on the Prussian side is bad, R. says, as is also the unthinking failure to appreciate the dangers of a general franchise, the Jews, etc.—yet who, after all, has helped Germany? —
Letter from Herr Feustel, who at my request describes our financial situation; this turns out to be fairly bad, and he advises me to allow Hans to provide the means for sending the two eldest girls to boarding school, but this I find so difficult that I prefer to consider postponing their going there! . . .
R. comes to fetch me, we go to pay a call in the inner city, our little town basking in lovely autumn weather. In the evening amateur concert, I go with the two eldest girls. Frau Grün sings and then comes to our house; it is settled that she will sing Fricka.