Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
125. To Dr. Franz Brendel
[Beginning of November, 1854]
Dear Friend,
Pohl's article on Lieder und Spruche, etc. (Songs and Sayings), appears to me to be of general interest to the public—therefore I begged you to put it in your paper.
Touching what you have reserved of Raff's, I am quite of opinion that you should also make room for him in his critical examinations of the Minnesingers. [The German poet-singers of the Middle Ages.] The ground is an interesting and attractive one— and if a rather warm discussion should ensue later on between Raff and Pohl, the field of the Minnegesang (love-song) is by far the most agreeable for both, as well as the more entertaining for your readers. Ergo, put Pohl's article into your next number. Raff can then spring his mines in honor of the Minnegesang when he pleases. This may make a quite pleasant and harmless joke— perchance a crown of lilies will mingle with it in the end and shape the affair into a University concern…Your paper, in any case, will not suffer. Therefore set to work and go through with it!
In Bussenius [Bussenius, under the pseudonym W. Neumann, published the set of biographies "The Composers of Recent Times" (Balde, Cassel).] you have rightly found the man of whom I previously foretold you somewhat. I think that by the New Year he will settle at Gotha, and carry on there with his firm (Balde) greater literary and publishing undertakings. Meanwhile don't speak of this. When the outlook is more certain, and things are favorably settled, I will tell you more.
I gladly accept your friendly invitation to write an article for your New Year's number. In the course of the next few days you will receive the article on Clara Schumann, and shortly afterwards the second half of "Robert Schumann."
Cornelius has been rather unwell for several days, which has delayed the translation. [Peter Cornelius translated the articles written in French by Liszt—with the collaboration of the Princess Wittgenstein—for the Neue Zeitschrift; those which are published in vols. iii. to v. of the "Gesammelte Schriften.">[