Villa d'Este, January 20th, 1876
(Before my arrival—16th February—I will telegraph to you from
Venice, where I shall visit Count Imre Szechenyi.) In case there
were anything to write to me, address, till February 5th, Rome,
Vicolo dei Greci, 43.
182. To Eduard von Liszt
(Villa d'Este,) January 23rd, 1876
My Dear Beloved Friend,
Your letter has deeply affected me. I preserve it in the secret cell of the heart, where the last words of my dear mother remain- -and give me consolation. I cannot thank you in words. My thanks rise in prayer to God. May His blessing ever be with your generosity and constancy in all that is good.
At the "Decisions of the Court of Cassation" (the 2nd October and 16th November) you spoke so forcibly and beautifully clearly about blasphemy, and of the symbol of redemption, the crucifix— and thus truly fulfilled the teaching of our Savior: "Thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in Coelo." Let us continue to the end, dearest Eduard, in the love of Christ!
I absolutely wrote the "Hunnenschlacht" for the sake of the hymn "Crux fidelis." Kulke in a very generous manner determined on the production of this work in Vienna. For very many years Kulke has always been well-affected towards me. I enclose a few lines of thanks which I beg you to hand to him. His "Moses before Pharaoh" I have, alas, not the power to compose. To compose philosophy and politics in music appears to me an all-too-difficult task. I almost doubt whether it could be accomplished.
Heartiest greetings to your family, and most truly yours,
F. Liszt