Dear Franze, I was all the more delighted with your letter because I had long been expecting one, and on account of the long delay was beginning to be attacked by all kinds of doubts about you. I was already beginning to think I must class you with Johanna, who has gone so far in her childish obedience to her parents that she practically ignores me entirely. Last summer she met Uhlig, the Dresden chamber-musician, on his return journey through Frankfurt, after he had managed by painful economy to visit me here in Switzerland. He talked to her about me and she was overcome with shame and wanted to come the short journey to see me, but her mother held her back. I even wrote to her myself and otherwise reminded her that a letter from her would be very welcome to me. Mother and father, however, seem to think it would be difficult and lead to serious consequences if Johanna were to have anything to do with me. Underlying this anxiety is the consciousness of their whole position as regards me and the stirrings of an accusing conscience are very upsetting. But I wish they knew what injustice they do me if they are afraid I could ever be a burden to them.
With those who feel as I do, I am as ready to take and as candid as a child, but with those who do not understand me and do not want to understand me I am terrifically proud. I am now living solely on the friendship of the Ritter family. I accept everything without shyness from friends so intimate, while I am so difficult with others that I returned even to Heinrich Brockhaus a sum of money which he sent me. If your parents only knew that they need have no anxiety at all about me in this connection, perhaps they would not continue to prevent Johanna from associating with me. What really horrifies me, however, is that Johanna can actually bring herself on her side to drop me. I do not expect much of men nowadays and I am surprised at nothing from these selfish Philistines, but the heart of a girl! It is sad. Perhaps the tinsel that surrounds her is her excuse. Do not urge her to write to me. It is only the spontaneous and unforced that can give me any joy. Well, it is different with you and I hope it is not solely the modesty of your position which has preserved sound feeling in you; your good angel, as I believe, is your independence of spirit, your respect for yourself and your own freedom. In you I seem to see the difference between the dramatic artist and the operatic singer, in whom the mechanical training of the vocal chords for modern sing-song stuff seems to have extended to heart and brain as well. In you, on the contrary, what has been required is individual development from your own inner self, for a good actress must herself feel; she cannot merely imitate feeling. In my case too, as you know, mere singers have never been any use to me. I want good actresses who can sing, and while I cannot get them, the performance of my works will always be only a shadow.
And here I must pass on to tell you about the Schwerin production of Tannhäuser. It really pleased me greatly because it testified to the self-sacrificing enthusiasm which I am capable of arousing in some individuals. That I whistle to the winds with my works of art, I know.
Richard Wagner
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Volume 1, ed. Altmann/Hull (London: Dent, 1927), No. 214