Category: May 1874

Departure of friend Gersdorff and Herr Hoffmann. R. is not well, visitors put a strain on him, and he is also extremely upset that Richter can spare us only 2 months. He also finds the mounting costs of the household very disagreeable. Dull weather. Parson Tschudi, the good man who…

Whitsunday Still with the lovely little woman, with Hoffmann and friend Gersdorff as well, in my heart sleeping pain. In the afternoon the lovely lady departs, in the evening a confidential talk with the painter Hoffmann, who is very self-willed.

The children, all by themselves, stick 61 candles on R.’s bathtub and surround it with wreaths and bunches of flowers, merry laughter about it all. Doves fly out of the loft for the first time and flutter around our house. I make no celebrations for R. this year. Marie Dönhoff…

Up early in order to complete the poem, then gave it to the children. Drove with Frau v. M. to the Eremitage, in the after noon to the theater, then to the Fantaisie.  Letter from my father in Florence, letter from Herr Muchanoff, I make up my mind to travel…

Thought of the proverbs—talked about education (accursed is knowledge without action, accursed the man without knowledge, etc.). One should put less emphasis on knowledge than on aesthetic feeling, good speech, good manners — the Greeks recognized and discovered the right way. What would be right for the Germans? Honorableness, modesty….

Letter from a man in Kolberg, nephew of the lady who wanted a certificate of patronage; he sends another 300 thalers and says it is his aim to devote himself to this theater of ours. — Yesterday another letter arrived from the AA.Z. editor, thanking R. for his letter and…