I have read your letter and your mother's. Only you can know the strength of your love for art and of your aversion to the law. I have no doubt of your capacity, least of all now, when Liszt has just given me so favourable a testimonial to your executive talent as well. You can only bear witness to that love and to that aversion by acting, and until you have acted I can counsel you no further.
As regards conditions here, I have this to say to you. The theatrical manager here has had the inexplicable good luck to get together a quite excellent company of singers, which actually made me want to conduct the opening performance, the Freischiitz, yesterday. The success was so notable that I have no doubt that something really good for the theatre will be done on the part of the inhabitants of this town. Out of an honest desire to be really useful to the undertaking, I have decided to devote myself exclusively to the management for a period, but it cannot possibly be a long one. I am therefore very anxious to train up as quickly as possible a good manager for the theatre, to whom I can then leave everything at the first possible moment. Karl's introverted nature and his utter neglect of all executive faculties lead me seriously to doubt whether he can become a manager within the short space of time in which one will be wanted. He will become one, though, in time; I do not in the least give him up.
In your case I have good reason to suppose that I can reach my goal more speedily. If you come to Zurich at once the salary of 100 francs per month is at your service. You know that Karl has private means; he is only in straits for the rest of this year and from the New Year on he will be flush again. Till then you must try to manage on the money together, which will be easily possible. You can live with Karl in a very cheap lodging till the New Year; you will both take your meals with me as Karl is already doing. You ought to be able, and will be able, to scrape along, and after the New Year something more than that. You will then have to look upon yourself as an actually appointed and salaried director of music; you will share your functions with Karl as you both think fit.
You can come to Zurich, then, without a farthing of money. Were I in your place and had I, on receipt of this letter, two farthings in my pocket I would set out for Zurich on foot; were I without the two farthings even, I would take the road without them and go hungry till I got to Zurich. But I would only do this, mark you, if I felt I could do no other. It is only when actually here that you can successfully negotiate with your mother and father.
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Volume 1, ed. Altmann/Hull (London: Dent, 1927), No. 187