(Villa d'Este,—Tivoli, per Roma—Italia.)
151. To Dr. Franz Witt
[Villa d'Este, Early Summer, 1874.]
Much-esteemed Sir and Friend,
The lively recollection I entertain of the truly edifying Church- music performances in Eichstatt under your direction [On the occasion of the 3rd General Assembly of the Cacilien-Verein in Eichstatt, August 1871] increases my regret that I am unable to accept your friendly invitation to the 5th General Assembly of the Cacilien-Verein in Ratisbon (between the 1st and 7th August) [The Assembly was held on the above-mentioned days.]. A wearisome piece of work will keep me here till my return to Pest in January '75. Next summer, however, I hope again to pay you a visit, and to gather excellent precepts and examples from you. Meanwhile I am reading your Essays with peculiar satisfaction, and more especially your com-positions in the "Musica sacra" and the "Fliegende Blatter." "Fliegend" [flying] must here be taken in the higher, angelic sense; in the latter sense O salutaris hostia sounds altogether comforting Musica angelorum, such as pleasantly animates all your Church tone-works.
152. To Dr. Franz Haberl
[A portion of this letter is printed in Dr. Mirus' brochure, "Das Liszt-Museum in Weimar" (1892), which contains many interesting relics of Liszt.]
[Villa d'Este, Early Summer, 1874.]
Much-esteemed Sir and Friend
To my sincere regret I find myself prevented from attending the
Cacilien-Verein in Ratisbon.