Lessons for Lusch; reflections on a boarding school, first gymnastic lesson.
R. reads Finlay in the morning and sees a parallel between the ideals of the Roman and the German Empires: “Just as it was a matter of great pride to regard oneself as a Roman citizen even when there were no longer any real Romans, so, too, the German Empire is a metaphysical concept, for when out of 100 people only 10 remain, what does one know about these ten? And what havoc did not the Walloons, Swedes, Spaniards, etc., wreak on them, ravish ing their women, etc.! But the language and the idea have been preserved.” At lunch reminiscences about our favorite, Frederick the Great, who, as far as sympathetic and captivating people are concerned, comes for us immediately after the Greek heroes. —
In the evening the first act of Siegfried, very handsomely played by Richter.