Various preparations for the journey, accompanied by much indescribable sorrow concerning the two older children! … I make several visits and run some errands.
In the evening, R. vividly recalls “Faust”, particularly the scene with the Easter song with the walk and the first encounter with Mephisto, and reads it aloud to me. R. is moved to tears, as he says, by the repeated experience of such a noble spirit! Admiration and wonder at nearly every word; this youth of Goethe, like a spring morning, brought everything, later he was merely the caretaker of all these blossoms. From great distraction, he had to gather himself, to return to himself again. R. also mentions that the poem “Fade away, you arches” truly depicts the state of falling asleep. Only the poet, of course, can preserve the memory of it.
Letters of April 2nd, 1875:
(1) ➝ Richard Wagner, Bayreuth an Max Brückner, Coburg (DE)
(2) ➝ Richard Wagner, Bayreuth an Emil Heckel, Mannheim (DE)
(3) ➝ Erwin Rohde an Cosima Wagner, Bayreuth (RWM) (DE)
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.