A hearty welcome to Germany! Dearest love to you and your husband and children from Minna and myself! It was with a strange, new, keenly aroused and most warm emotion that we once more received news of you so close at hand. Still to have to go on writing seems intolerable, and yet it is quite impossible at present to leave here even for a day, since in face of the imminent arrival here of Weber's ashes, and following that, a new opera by Marschner [Adolf von Nassau] which I am to produce at the New Year, I cannot dream of being away from Dresden for a moment. Once more be tremendously welcome! We Dresden relatives hail your coming with a great acclamation! Be convinced that we all mean it!
Minna wanted to write to you this time, but I see she will not get it done to-day, so I will once again be her proxy. The business she makes of it every time she has a couple of lines to write is simply incredible, and yet you must have a speedy answer to your dear letter of the day before yesterday. Forgive her then and don't do her the injustice of attributing to lack of feeling what is simply dread of letter-writing. She is unchangeably your truest and warmest friend! Now, then, to the point! With all my heart come with both children, and bring the bonne too, in Heaven's name - if you think it necessary, though I may tell you that Natalie is here visiting us for the first time and she could quite well take the place of a nurse to your two little ones.
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Volume 1, ed. Altmann/Hull (London: Dent, 1927), No. 110