To draw "das Ewig-Weibliche" rightly upwards ["Das Ewig-Weibliche zicht uns hinan" ("The Eternal-Womanly draws us upwards").— Goethe's "Faust">[ by rehearsing the chorus and orchestra would have afforded me great pleasure—and would probably have succeeded. ["Gelangen" and "gelingen"—untranslatable little pun.] But unfortunately obstacles which cannot be put aside have intervened, and it will be utterly impossible for me to be present at the Goethe Festival, as I have to betake myself in a few days' time to an almost unknown but very efficacious bath resort, and my doctor's orders are most strict that I must not make any break in my "cure" during six weeks.
Notwithstanding this very deplorable contretemps for me, I immediately informed Herr Councillor A. Scholl, as head of the Goethe Committee, of your friendly proposal. Herewith his answer.
Allow me meanwhile to refresh your memory with an old French proverb, "Ce qui est differe n'est pas perdu" [What is put off is not given up], and give me the hope that soon after my return to Weymar we may occupy ourselves seriously with the performance of your "Faust."…
Hearty greetings to your dear wife, and believe me yours ever most sincerely,
F. Liszt Weymar July 27th, 1849
62. To Robert Schumann
[autograph in the Royal Library in Berlin]
Dear Friend,
A summons which cannot be put off obliges me to be present at the Goethe Festival here on the 28th of August, and to undertake the direction of the musical part.
My first step is naturally to beg you to be so good as to send us soon the score of your "Faust." If you should be able to spare any of the voice or orchestral parts it would be a saving of time to us; but if not we shall willingly submit to getting the parts copied out as quickly as possible.