directors, in spite of the fact that the two or three experiments he has made do not show in favor of the principle (as seen by the consequences). But between ourselves we must not conceal the fact that a great part of the laxity and corruption of our musical condition in Germany (as also elsewhere) is to be attributed to the too great—or too petty—yielding and pliancy of conductors and music-directors. I well know that the Euterpe Committee nourishes and cherishes quite another idea than that of the company X. Y. Z., or of the Court Theater directors A. B. C. D. Yet the question constantly arises—Shall the cook cook? Shall the coachman drive?—Ergo let the musician also have his own way. The harm that may spring from that is not so very terrible.

On the other side, I consider a change of persons in the management of a new institution is not desirable. In intellectual movements in particular the leaders of them are especially recommended to keep themselves conservative as regards their people. The public requires definiteness before all else—and just this is endangered by a change of persons. The substitute for B., whom you mention to me (his name also begins with B.), is certainly highly to be recommended in all that concerns talent, position, and I think also worthy character; none the less do I vote very decidedly that Bronsart be retained—if possible.

I do not need to add, dear friend, that this opinion of mine is a purely objective one. I have not heard a word from Bronsart since last September, and, as I said to you before, my musical news from Germany is limited to two, or at most three letters which Gottschalg wrote me.

With the wish that all difficulties may be smoothed in the best way by your intelligent gentleness and forbearance, I remain your warmly devoted

F. Liszt

[Rome] April 12th, 1862

P.S.—More next time (though little of interest to you, as absolutely nothing occurs here that could touch you closely).—I am preparing to stay here for the summer, and somewhat longer.— In order not to lose the post I only send you today these few lines.

4. To Madame Jessie Laussot in Florence

[Madame Laussot, an English lady, became later the wife of Dr. Carl Hillebrand, the celebrated writer. She was the intimate friend of Liszt, Von Bulow, etc., and is herself a musician of great repute, to whom many artists of note, Sgambati, Bache, Buonamici, etc., owe much of the success of their career. She started a musical society in Florence, the "Societa Cherubini;" which she conducted for many years, and introduced there much of the best music of Germany (Liszt's included).]

Your charming lines, Madame, reached me at the beginning of Holy Week. At that moment one no longer belongs to oneself in Rome; and I have felt this more than others, for the services and ceremonies of the Sistine Chapel and of St. Peter's, to which I attached a special musical interest, have absorbed all my time during the last fortnight. Pray excuse me therefore for not having thanked you sooner for your kind remembrance, which touches me much.

Some one has made a mistake in telling you that I am coming to Florence. I have no longer any taste for moving about from one place to another, and, unless something very unforeseen happens, I shall not stir from here so soon. Rome is a more convenient place than others for those who ask nothing better than to work in their own fashion. Now, although I have become very indifferent as to the fate of what I write, work none the less continues to be the first need of my nature. I write therefore simply to write—without any other pretensions or care—and for this it suits me best to remain in one place.

Will you be so kind, Madame, as to give my very affectionate respects to Madame Ritter [Mother of Carl Ritter—Wagner's friend—and of Alexander Ritter, the composer of "Der faule Hans."], to which please add my best remembrances to her family, and pray accept also the expression of my very sincere and affectionate regards.

F. Liszt

May 3rd, 1862 (Via Felice, 113—Rome.)

5. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Rome, June 12th, 1862

Grand, sublime, immeasurably great things have come to pass here lately. The Episcopate of the whole world assembled here round the Holy Father, who performed the ceremony of the canonisation of the Japanese martyrs at Whitsuntide in the presence of more than 300 bishops, archbishops, patriarchs, and cardinals. I must abstain, dear friend, from giving you any picture of the overpowering moment in which the Pope intoned the "Te Deum;" for in Protestant lands that which I might call the spiritual illumination is wanting. Let us therefore, without any other transition, return to our everyday musical matters!

I am convinced that your determination to make a change in the choice of conductors of the Euterpe has been made only after mature consideration. .—. In my last letter I pointed out, as the chief thing, that in concert societies the principle of stability in the matter of the Musical Direction is the most important thing, whereby I did not in the least mean to say that one must on that account agree to extreme consequences—or rather inconsequences. Well, as your decision is made, any further discussion is useless. Blassmann [He moved to Dresden some years later, and there he died.] has now to approve himself, and actively to fulfil the favorable expectations which his talent and good name justify. So be it, and as Schuberth says, Punktum [a full stop.]

As regards the place of meeting for the next Tonkunstler- Versammlung I am quite of your opinion. First of all I advise you to consult Bulow. Owing to his long connection with the Court at Carlsruhe he is best qualified to take the preliminary measures ("to pave the way"!). If the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess take up the matter favorably, then without doubt all that is requisite and necessary will be done in the most desirable manner. The most essential things are

(a) Letting us have the theater free of charge for two to three evenings—(as at Weimar—would not it perhaps be best to mention this in the 1st letter?).

(b) Official preparatory measures by the Intendant to ensure the co-operation of the Carlsruhe orchestra and chorus, also free of charge.

You will have to consult more fully with Dr. Devrient and Kalliwoda as to the best time for it. But the thing to be done before all else is to gain the Grand Duke's interest—and if you think it would be practicable for me to write a few lines to H.R.H. later on I will do so with pleasure. I only beg that you will give me exact particulars of the steps already made and their results.

For my part I think that to Bulow, a priori, ought to be entrusted the conducting of the Musical Festival, and this point should be at once mentioned as settled in the introductory letter to the Grand Duke. Otherwise Bedow's position in the affair would not be sufficiently supported.

To sum up briefly: Request Bulow to undertake the conductorship of the Musical Festival; and address the Grand Duke of Baden, either by letter or by word of mouth (as opportunity may warrant), with the request that H.R.H. would graciously support the proposed Musical Festival of the third Tonkunstler- Versammlung, by giving it his patronage, as the Grand Duke of Weimar did last year, etc., etc.

.—. That excellent Pohl has quite forgotten me. I asked him, through Gottschalg, to send me my Gesam- melte Lieder [complete songs], the "Dante Symphony" (in score and arrangement for 2 Pianos), the 4-hand Symphonic Poems, and a couple of copies of my Catalogue (published by Hartel).

I