Category: Cosima Wagner Diaries

No church, the children not well, I write letters; around noon our friends Heckel and Zeroni, with whom R. goes for a walk, and who then join us in the evening.  At 11 o’clock I go to the railroad station to meet Marie Schleinitz. With her until around midnight. Affairs…

R. works, finds it difficult to concentrate, however, and has to orchestrate one page twice. I have several letters to write after giving the children their lessons. After lunch, over coffee, R. sings me “Mad Margaret[i]” from La Dame Blanche[ii] and says what an impression it made on him in his…

Still no rain, severe drought. Work with the children, R. on his score. After lunch he tells me in great perturbation about the attached report on a Carlist atrocity (a newspaper clipping reporting the execution of 87 captured Carabineros in Flayers near Olot). He would like to send it to…

Sedan[i] celebrated with cannon fire and flags, also with a big procession. Walked a little with the children, but Fidi still indisposed. —  At lunch yesterday R. mentioned the great agitation in Austria because their cannons are worthless—a fine world, in which this warrants particular attention! I set out with the…

Work with the children, in the afternoon a  long walk, first to Rollwenzel with the children, then in the Students’ Wood.  In the evening read Karl Hillebrand’s article on Nietzsche’s book in the Neue Presse. Some good things briefly stated, many stupid ones at length. “It takes a lot to believe…

Wrote to Marie Dönhoff and other letters as well, while the children are in church and R. is working. Received calls (estate owner Rohder and wife). In the afternoon finished Wallen stein with Lusch. In the evening a letter of 22 full sheets from an Austrian, who connects a new…