Your sympathy with me makes me hope that you are at present employed in giving the necessary helpful turn to my affairs, and I therefore think it advisable to describe to you, in a few words, my situation as it has lately shaped itself, so that you may know accurately upon what I reckon, and may take steps accordingly.
W. has bought the little country house after all, and offers me a perpetual lease of it. As I have given up the allowance of the R.'s, it is important for me to settle my income on an independent basis. It would be foolish if I tried to arrange my future definitely at this moment, which will probably bring my provisional position to a close. I am certain that my amnesty will be granted in the course of 1858 at the latest, and I hope that this will suddenly change my situation, to the extent, at least, that it will depend upon myself to find a solid basis for my social existence.
All I can rationally care for, considering that I have no chance of success in any other direction, must be to secure for myself a free, unencumbered, and not too limited income for the next few years, until my great work is completed and produced. Nothing appears more adapted to the achievement of this purpose than the sale of my Nibelungen to Hartel, whom I have asked to settle with me according to his own judgment. It is most important to me that this should come to pass, and I hope, in any case, that if Hartel accepts the offer I shall receive all that is required. I think they ought to pay me 1,000 thalers for each score, in each case on delivery of the manuscript—that is, for the Rhinegold, and perhaps for the Valkyrie also, now at once. Siegfried will be in their hands by the end of this year. However, as I remarked before, I must be satisfied even if they give me a little less.
In any case, it will be enough to keep me going for several years; and if I once know what I have, I shall make arrangements accordingly, being resolved, in any case, to leave the management of my income in future to my wife. I need not tell you that if you come to terms with the Hartels other things ought to be left alone altogether, for I have made up my mind henceforth to preserve my independence as much as possible. You now have the complete synopsis of my situation; let me commend it to your well-tried sympathy. I hear with great delight that you are well again.
I have finished the composition of my first act, and, as soon as I have recovered a little strength, hope to score it before leaving my present house. Of resuming composition proper I cannot think here; I have suffered too much of late by the musical and unmusical noisiness of my lodging. Tell the dear Child that she will soon receive one of those letters from me which she likes, but not about Indian poetry (droll idea!), but about that of which my heart is full, and which I can call by no other name, than Orpheus. But I must wait for a favourable mood. You may tell the Child, however, that the white rose is now red and in full bloom, and that the slender stem of the lily looks right robust, and inspires confidence. The Princess is angry with me—I feel it—but I know that I shall conciliate her.
Richard Wagner
Source: Project Gutenberg eBook #4234, Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt — Volume 2, No. 235