Friday, November 12:
More conversation about the influence of Christianity. “This teaching is too lofty not to have had the most pernicious of influences; it could not be forced on the world, it could only become truth in the minds of those who took refuge in the Thebais. When one sees how such giant intellects as Dante and Calderon served this teaching, one must admit that their works, if not they themselves, have suffered. How free, in contrast, do such beings as Goethe and Schiller seem, though certainly as intellects they are no greater than the two former.”
Eva ill, let us hope nothing serious. Letter from Lenbach, the painter.
Yesterday, in front of the children, R. made a remark about the aristocracy and von which upset me, for there are certain matters I prefer not to be touched on in front of the children; I was sitting there in silent reflection when suddenly R. rose from the piano, embraced me, and said I was the best and noblest woman in the world! I was startled to the point of tears.
Afterward he played a piece by Bach and said, “Certain features in Bach can only be explained by the fact that he was a great improviser and wanted to pin down what he was so lightly extemporizing; hence the many pedantic markings, the curious runs, etc.”
Wrote to Franz Lenbach. The eye specialist came on my account; my eyes are so weak.