[Here, Liszt writes a 7-bar musical excerpt at the point where the words "Je vis le len—de—main, non plus au hord de l'onde mais as—si—se as che—min la jeune fi—le blonde" are sung.]
If I still had, as in Vienna, the honor of finding myself in your neighborhood, I hope you would grant me a word of indulgence; and meanwhile, Madame la Princesse, I venture to beg you to accept the most respectful homage of
Your very humble and inexcusable servant,
F. Liszt
Pest, May 10th, 1874
148. To Peter Cornelius
Dearest Friend of my Heart,
Again a request. You alone can help me, and give me in German a faithful poetical rendering of Lamartine's "Hymne de l'enfant a son reveil."
Years ago I used to sing this hymn, from my inmost heart, to my three children; you remember them…
And now the composition (what an unknown word for it!) is to appear in print, and the publisher Taborszky in Pest will send you my manuscript together with a copy of the poem. In case any prosodical alterations should seem appropriate, be kind enough to write them down distinctly in notes on a separate sheet of paper.