The Grand Duchess yesterday again spoke with great interest about your late recital. She is looking forward to seeing and hearing many other things at your house.
Farewell; and let me, too, soon hear from you again. Should you not be in the humor to read the sheets through, please send them back to me, so that I can make use of the time for having them copied out.
* * * * *
SCHILLER to GOETHE
February 22, 1805.
It was pleasant to me to see a few lines in your handwriting, and it has again awakened my belief in the return of the old state of things—which I have at times quite despaired of. The two severe attacks which I have had within the space of seven months have shaken my system to its very foundation, and I shall have difficulty in recovering my strength.
It is true that my present attack seems to have been merely the general epidemic that is going about, but the fever in my case was so great, and it seized me when I was already in such a weak state, that I feel as if I had arisen from a most severe illness, and find it specially difficult to struggle against a certain listlessness which is the worst trouble in my case.
I am anxious to hear whether you have yet sent off the manuscript of Rameau. Goeschen has not written anything about it to me, and, in fact, for the last fortnight I have not heard of anything that is going on in the world.
I trust that things may daily and hourly improve with you and with me too, so that we may soon see each other in gladness.
* * * * *