can bring neither joy nor honour.

Listen to me: "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin" I have thrown to the
winds; I do not want to know any more of them. When I gave them
over to theatrical jobbery, I cast them out, I condemned them to
the task of begging for me, of getting me money, NOTHING BUT
MONEY. Even for that purpose I should not like to employ them if
I were not compelled to do so. After the insight which I have
gained this summer, I should willingly submit to the penance of
selling all my goods and chattels, and go, naked as I am, into
the wide world, where--I swear it to you--no illusion should
tempt me any more. But my wife could not bear such a violent step
again; I know it would kill her. Well then, FOR HER SAKE I am
resolved to go on. "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin" must go to the
Jews. But I am unable to wait and see how much more they might
bring me in in certain patiently looked-for contingencies than
now, when I am compelled to get rid of them at any price, and the
sooner the better. Tell me, dearest friend, how do matters stand
at Berlin? Did you merely rely upon making our condition
plausible to Herr von Hulsen, or had you prepared other means of
securing your honourable invitation to Berlin? I am almost
inclined to believe the latter, and to hope in consequence that
you will soon be able to announce our triumph. The want of Berlin
for my operas involves the delay of the rest of the business, and
I assure you that the spreading of my operas is entirely a matter
of BUSINESS to me. This is the only real point; all the rest is,
and remains, fictitious. Let us not attempt to look upon the
matter in any serious light except as regards money. I should
despise myself if I paid any attention to anything beyond this.
For me the song of the "world" was sung to an end long ago.