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CHAPTER V. 1832-1836.

Revolution and romanticism at the beginning of the nineteenth century—Its effect on Wagner—First grand symphony for orchestra—Mendelssohn and Wagner—Wondrous dual gift of music and poesy—Portion of an opera, “The Wedding,” engaged at Würzburg—Albert Wagner—Life at Würzburg—First opera, “The Fairies”—Schroeder-Devrient and “The Novice of Palermo”—Stage manager at Magdeburg, 1834—Views upon German National drama and national life

44 CHAPTER VI. 1836-1839.

Life and troubles at Magdeburg—Wagner marries—Minna Planer: the woman, her home, her trustful love—Reflections on his life at Magdeburg—His ability as a conductor of the orchestra and singers—Popularity of Auber and Rossini—Renewed trials at Königsberg, 1837—Success of Meyerbeer—Paris the ruler of German taste—Wagner’s ambition of going to Paris—Sends sketch of new libretto to Scribe—No answer—Writes an overture on “Rule Britannia,” and sends it to Sir George Smart—Not noticed— Wagner’s impressions of stage life after his experience at Würzburg, Magdeburg, and Königsberg—Visit to Dresden and “Rienzi”—Conductor at Riga, 1839—His difficulties increase—Paris the sole hope of relief—Resolves to go to Paris—Sets sail for London—“The Champagne Mill”—Arrival in London

55 CHAPTER VII. EIGHT DAYS IN LONDON, 1839.

First impression—Puts up at cheap hotel in Old Compton Street, Soho—Loss and return of the dog—Visit to a house in Great Portland Street where Weber died—Thoughts on English character and London sights—Visit to Greenwich Hospital—Leaves by boat for Boulogne

69 CHAPTER VIII. BOULOGNE, 1839.

Passage to Boulogne—The Mansons, friends of Meyerbeer—Wagner’s visit to Meyerbeer—Character of Meyerbeer—Interests himself in the youthful Wagner—The reading of “Rienzi” libretto—Eulogium of Meyerbeer and promises of help—Meyerbeer feels his way to the purchase of the “Rienzi” book—Wishes Scribe to write one for him similarly spectacular—Wagner and his wife at a restaurant; champagne the “perfection of terrestrial enjoyment”—The Mansons advise him to stay in Boulogne—The “Rienzi” music pleases Meyerbeer, who also, to Wagner’s annoyance, praises his neat writing—The “Das Liebesverbot” draws further laudation from Meyerbeer, and the success of Wagner is prophesied—“Le petit homme avec le grand chien” leaves Boulogne for Paris

78 CHAPTER IX. PARIS, 1839-1842.

The sanguine Wagner boldly invades Paris—Later reflections of the bitter sufferings he underwent there— Why he went to Paris—Germany offers no encouragement to native talent—Wagner has but a slight acquaintance with the French tongue—Seeks out Monsieur Louis, who becomes and remains his most devoted friend—With assistance of Louis, engages modest apartments—Endeavours to deliver his letters of introduction—Unsuccessful—Without occupation—His poverty—Help from Germany for a short time—Their sadly straitened circumstances—In absolute want—Writes for the press; Schlesinger—“A pilgrimage to Beethoven,” imaginary—He composes three romances, imaginary—Still in want, forced to the uncongenial task of “arranging” popular Italian operas for all kinds of instruments—Minna Wagner: her golden qualities and admiration of Wagner—Minna performs all the menial household duties—Bright and cheerful temperament soothes the disappointed, passionate Wagner—His birthday tribute—His subsequent acknowledgment of her womanly devotion—The artists he met in Paris—Heinrich Laube, an old Leipzic friend, introduces him to Heine—Meeting of the trio—Laube and Heine as workers—Schlesinger, music-publisher, becomes his friend—Schlesinger upon Meyerbeer—Wagner and Berlioz in Paris and London—The two compared—Wagner’s opinion of Berlioz and his agreement with Heine—Halévy—Vieuxtemps—Scribe—Kietz

83 CHAPTER X. PARIS, 1839-1842. Continued.

The Paris sojourn the crucial epoch of Wagner’s career—The grand opera the hothouse of spurious art—Concessions to anti-artistic influences—Realism of the historic opera irreconcilable with his own poetic idealism: why?—Is infected with the revolutionary spirit of the age—From now we date the wondrous change in his art work—Protests through the “Gazette Musicale” against Italian composers dominating the French stage to the exclusion of native worth—Rebuked by Schlesinger—The Conservatoire de Musique; its performances solid food to Wagner—“Music a blessed reality”—Probability that the unrealities of the French stage brought Richard Wagner to a quicker knowledge of himself—Wagner’s estimate of French character—Their poesy—His tact—Feeling of aversion towards the military and police—His compositions—A year of non-productivity—Assertion of the poet—Proposal by Schlesinger that he should write a light work for a boulevard theatre—Refuses—Is put to bed with an attack of erysipelas which lasts a week—“Overture to Faust”: “the subjects not music, but the soul’s sorrows transformed into sounds”—Minna and his dog—Wagner’s lugubrious forebodings and short novel, “End of a German Musician in Paris”—Completes “Rienzi,” which is sent to Germany—The “Flying Dutchman”—How the subject came to be adopted—Heine’s treatment of Fitzball’s