Wagner as I Knew Him

by Ferdinand Praeger

Adieu,

Your
Richard Wagner.

Zurich, 14th September, 1855.

The next letter shows Wagner in a new light. It is addressed to my wife in her native language, French. Wagner has freely admitted in his published writings that he had no gift for languages, still he spoke French well, truly, not as a born Frenchman, yet, as a thoughtful man, and moreover as an earnest student he was able to express himself with clearness and freedom, and to a degree was master of the idiom. Intellect, combined with earnestness, will forge a path through difficulties where education alone would halt. Berlioz was an educated Frenchman, and expressed himself in elegant and polished diction—it was like music to hear him speak—yet he soon succumbed to Wagner’s torrent of enthusiasm. Of course this in part finds its natural explanation in Wagner ever having something new to say, and “Wagner eloquent” was irresistible. But as he ever depreciated his ability in French, I have inserted the following in the original (with translation) so as to enable the reader to form his own judgment.

HE WRITES IN FRENCH.

This letter is a well-drawn portrait of Wagner by himself. It shows the boy in the man. Picture this man, after a serious illness of some weeks, which must have been terribly irksome to a man of his active temperament, setting himself the task the first day of his convalescence to write in French and at such length. Instead of grumbling at the mental miseries such an illness must have caused him, through the interruption of that work so dear to him, he roused himself, in order to amuse by his boyish, humorous chat, “his sister Léonie,” whom he knew was all sympathy for him. The boy’s affectionate heart is plainly discernible in the man, tried and battered as he was by the world. It makes one think of the boy’s gentle love for his “little mother,” as he endearingly spoke of his mother. In him there were always glimpses of sunshine which would burst forth, aye, in the midst of the storms which, caused by disappointment and ill-usage, raged within himself or round about him. It was impossible for those who knew Wagner not to love him, notwithstanding those defects of character which he possessed; they disappeared entirely in the love one bore him, and the worship his mighty genius compelled. The sun itself has spots, which, notwithstanding, do not prevent it from glittering with radiance. Why should not Wagner be allowed the privilege of the sun?

LIFE IS BURDENSOME.

Ansicht vom Kurhause Sonnenberg auf
Seelisberg, Ct. Uri.

Ma Très Chère Sœur! Allons donc! Je vais vous écrire en français. Dieu donne que vous en entendiez quelques mots—ce qui ne sera pas chose facile. Mais je ne serai pas si absurde de me donner de la peine, pour faire de bonnes phrases; cela sera l’affaire du Dr. Wylde, qui s’y entend probablement aussi bien qu’à la musique! Plutôt je porterai sur ce papier quelques bêtises de mon genre, qui ne toucheront au caractère d’aucune langue, ni vivante, ni morte.

Enfin, je vous félicité, ma sœur, d’être doublement mère! L’événement que Ferdinand m’a annoncé il y a quelque temps, était prévu par moi moyennant d’un pressentiment prophétique, qui me naissait pendant mon séjour à Londres; car, pendant que je me souhaitais au diable—c’est à dire: hors du monde—je m’avisais, que le bon Dieu se preparait à remplir la lacune attendue, en mettant au monde un remplaçant pour moi. Mais ce bon Dieu s’est trompé, comme il lui arrivé quelques fois (en toute confiance soit dit!); le diable ne m’a pas encore accepté; je suis resté au monde, par obstination seulement, comme vous allez voir—et mon remplaçant est arrivé pendant que je vis encore, de la sorte qu’il y a maintenant deux Richard Wagner. Ainsi, je ne suis pas surpris de cet événement, que j’ai plutôt préparé en quelque sorte (et sans la moindre offense pour Ferdinand!) seulement par ma résolution de quitter la terre, résolution, dont le changement me procure maintenant le plaisir passablement rare, de vivre ensemble avec mon remplaçant future, de faire sa connaissance personelle, de m’entende avec lui sur la direction des concerts de la Société Philharmonique, enfin sur mille choses d’une importance extrême, qui ne s’arrangent pas si bien par une distance si énorme que celle de la mort à la vie.—Cette affaire a donc bien réussie. Seulement je plains de vous avoir causé tout de désagrements et de souffrances, comme vous les avez dû subir pour cela (je le dis vous savez toujours sans la moindre offense pour Ferdinand!). Jugez donc de la grande et intime satisfaction, que je viens d’eprouver à la nouvelle de votre rétablissement complêt, et croyez à la sincérité bien cordiale des félicitations, que je vous addresse.