Venice, March 10, 59. My dear Myrrha* That was quite a wonderfully pretty, really a copybook letter, you wrote me ! If anyone will not believe it, let him look at it for himself. My child, I cannot write so prettily ; I am far too old for that now ! So, if there is anything you cannot understand in my answer, please ask Mamma, who has given you such beautifully successful writing lessons, to help you now in reading too. Of course there is much you are able to read, even without Mamma, — I do not doubt that for an instant ; but a letter from me will be much harder, if only because I never yet have taught a Myrrha writing. So I have got used to writing all my own way, you see, which perhaps you will find a little indistinct. But Mamma must kindly help. — Well, I thank you ever so much, my dear Myrrha, and it was very nice of you not to have doubted that I wept with you all for dear Guido. When you make him a present of flowers again, give him my love as well. It pleased me much, to hear from you that Karl is growing up so pretty. If he has not the same face as dear Guido, that need not stop you from taking him for exactly Guido, all the same. Believe me, he is every tiny bit Guido over again ; only — he just has another face. As he has another face, perhaps he will also look at things in the world some day a little otherwise than Guido would have looked at them. But that is all the difference, and really does not so much matter as most folk think, although it does cause some confusion now and then — which mostly comes from all men looking at each other with different faces, and therefore believing they all are something different, too, and each of them the really only right one. However, that passes off, and when it comes to the main affair, to crying or laughing, why, one face is as good as another ; and when we die some day, as may happen in the end too, we shall all be right glad if we each have such a face as Papa wrote me that dear Guido had. So stand true to your looking upon Karl for Guido ; merely, he wanted to bring his little features earlier to that beautiful repose which most men can only make theirs after very much crying and laughing and other wry faces. Still, each one gets it there in time, the more so if he is very good and kind. Now Karl wants first to laugh and cry a deal, and has taken up that task for Guido ; that's why his face still looks different. I wish him from my heart that he may laugh his fill with it ; for crying comes soon enough, quite of itself, and to be able to do a good laugh helps over many a stile, take my word for it !— Now, think all this out for yourself, my dear Myrrha ; and as you invite me so sweetly to visit you, I really will come one day soon, to talk more about these things with you. — And give Papa and Mamma my best regards. To Mamma, who is always so good as to write what goes on in your house, give the letter enclosed, and beg her very prettily to be cheerful and calm ; in return for which you can promise her to be quite diligent at reading too, so that you may soon read my untidy characters without assistance. Then we two will keep a regular correspondence ! — T IO WAGNER TO MATHILDE WESENDONCK And now goodbye, dear Myrrha. Accept my thanks once more, and give Karl, too, best love from your Friend and Uncle Richard Wagner.
Richard Wagner
Source: Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck, translated by Ellis, No. 62