Weimar, November, 1882
313. To Adelheid Von Schorn
Monday, November 20th, 1882
Venezia la bella: Palazzo Vendramin.
Dear Friend,
I don't intend you to hear first through others of my safe arrival here. Thank Heaven! the Wagners and all the family are in perfect health.
Your brother will write you word from Nuremberg that the method of whist, so to say invented and certainly perfected by you, is being spread on to the Durerplatz also under your name at L. Ramann's. To get rid of all the aces first of all is really glorious.
With the exception of one incident, which stricter people than myself would call a regular fleecing on the part of the Custom House at Milan, whereby I parted with about 70 francs as a fine for having brought 50 cigars (!), all my journey passed off very well. At Zurich I met with the same kind reception on the part of several members of the Committee—with the President of the town, Mr. Roemer, at their head—as at the Musical Festival last July. The proprietor of the Bellevue Hotel, Mr. Pohl (no relation to his namesake at Baden), insisted on my accepting gratis a charming room, with dinners, suppers and excellent wines. Such munificence would have given a fit of fever to the late Hemleb of the Erbprinz, and his associates will scarcely imitate Mr. Pohl's amiable proceeding. So I will beg you to recommend the very comfortable Hotel Bellevue, in the front ranks, to any of your friends and acquaintances who may pass through Zurich. Without promising that they will be received gratis, I can assure them that they will find the beautiful view on to the lake, good rooms, an excellent cuisine, and attentive service. The Duke of Altenburg and other princes have stayed in it, and inscribed their names in the hotel album.
Your friend Ada Pinelli is still here with the Princess Hatzfeld, at Palazzo Malipieri. I shall go and see her tomorrow. I shall, however, practise great sobriety in the matter of visits. Wagner does not pay any, and I shall imitate him on this point to the best of my ability. My illustrious friend has lodged me splendidly in a spacious apartment of the Palazzo Vendramin, which formerly belonged to Madame la Duchesse de Berry. Her son, the Duke della Grazia, is at present the owner of it, and Wagner is the tenant for one year. The beautiful furniture still bears the impress of the old princely regime, and is perfectly preserved. The main inhabited part of the Palazzo Vendramin is in the best possible condition, so that Wagner did not have to go to any special expense, not even for stoves and other requisites, which are often neglected.
Ever since my first stay in 1837 I have been enamoured of Venice: this feeling will not grow less this time, but quite the contrary.