A day for letters and bills, the house in disarray. We hear that Hans has been swindled out of 1500 pounds in England;[1] tragic news. Notary Skutsch; a new mortgage! …
In the evening, great fatigue. R. had wild dreams—an uprising of the mob against him in Paris, which he tries to calm through eloquence. One of the mob finally comes to him, kisses his hand, and tells him he is convinced, bringing about peace. It is likely these notes we received from Bucher, mentioning that Bismarck continually receives threats and warnings, which might have sparked this strange dream. Bucher quotes a letter that is really quite mad and seems designed to drive someone else mad. Bismarck recently said that he was happy about the street urchins who surrounded him, as it ensures no one can sneak up behind him—he could take care of what is in front!…
[1] Hans von Bülow described his agent, George Dolby, as “a splendid mixture of gentleman and clown.” The impresario had worked with Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, among others, and organized concert tours to England, Ireland, and Scotland for von Bülow. In April 1875, the London Gazette reported that Dolby had filed for bankruptcy; von Bülow, who undertook these strenuous trips primarily to provide for his daughters, had thus been defrauded of his entire income.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.