New-York tribune., 1883-03-11
MEMORIES OF WAGNER.
HIS PERSONAL TRAITS, FAMILY, AND PRI.
VATE LIFE.

fyRon THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE.
PARIS, February 21.
Twas. before the war of 1870, acquainted with
different members of Wagners family, and met
Wagner and Mme Wagner when she was Madame
Buiow, along with her first husband, at Mime. Emile
Ollivier's. From them heard much Of the macs
tros history. His lot was early cast In city where
his genius stimulated by the good and evil cir
eumstances Of his liie He had not the tendencies
of specialist. From childhood to old age he aimed
At broad and complete artistic development
Late in his career his efforts were crowned with
Daccess. The caterpillar then, aud then only, be-
came butterfly. In battling against poverty, old
established conventionaties, aesthetic habits. OBJ
stacles to which his overweening egotism gave
rise, and the vices OF the fashionable worlc, he
grew eccentric, irascible and overbearing. Wagner
was not saint III his private life. but he liked a
breezy atmosphere in the playhouse and rallied au
the ballet. Previous to his second marriage, which
tanned and humanzed him, he was furiously dispu-
tatious and aggressive II he had not been man Of
genius he would have been arraut cad. Land
lords of hotels who had once had him for guest
did not like TO give him hospitality second time.
when he and his first wife revisited Basle they
had difficulty IN finding lodging. At Neufchatel
Che master pefore the police magistrate for
throwing decanter at the head of young man at
fhe table dhOte opposite to him, and wOundng
him. Wagner said in his defence that the other
guest had made ugly faces in eating and was the
brother OF u perverse enemy, Dawson. the musical
critic OF The Times (London), who mad attacked the
Wagnerian school of music. The assaulted indi-
vdual was a bagman. His name was Gregg, and
he had never in his life met Dawson. Wagner on
hearing this cried out |" l gong to beg the
fellow pardon and express contrition But can't
now. man who suffers himself to be called Gregg
is permanent outrage Oh the human ear"
Madame dAgoult was also at Neufchatel. On
being told of the adventure she used her influence
to get the musician out of the scrape. She and
List had previously saved him at Welmar from the
agents of the King of Saxony, against whom he
had. although patronized by him, rebelled in S4S
Madame d. goults life was in many ways inter-
woven with that Of Richard Wagner She was a
French lady OF quality who in her old age wrote
piquant memoirs. At the age of eighteen she was
married without her consent being previously asked
to stupid old chamberlain Of Charles ". and
while still young ana very beautiful away from
him with Liszt OF whom she became enamC red at
concert In 1S49 she fell in love. iu DatOnic sort
of way, with Wagner, whose genius put her out OF
cunceit with the Hungarian pianist. List sharing
her admiration, did not resent 1t. He and Madame
dAgoult eventually separated. She came to Paris
TO be near one of their daughters, Nine Emile
Olivier and he entered molly orders and chiefly
lived in Germany with Madame Bulow, now Ma
dame Wagner.
THE MAEsTRo's MARRIED LIFE.
Although IN the struggling period OF his career
Wagner did not attempt TO master his bilious dis
position and snarcd and barked ana bit on the
smallest provocaton. he had the power to fsseinate
The instances were numerous Of conquests that he
made at the Court of Dresden. Madame Bulow
eloped with him. Her first husband admitted the
plea of extenuatng circumstances urged In her be-
half by her relatives. helped her to obtain divorce
and became of her second husbanus most zeal
ous votaries. Admiration for his genius obllterated
all sense of personal wong. On the day Gu which
the runaway pair were married Bucw shed tears
of Joy The children of Bulow and Wagner formed
a single family at Bayreuth. Over the entrance to
the house in which they dwelt in unity was this
inscription a Hier mein Wabuen Frieden fand
wahnfried sci dlesces Haus Won mir benuant"
Having been relieved from all nightmares. Wagner
called his man. o. the place of the calm dreams
CWahnfredl. above the portico there bas-
Ieliefs of Odin, Tragedy lpersonihed by Madame
Schroeder -Devrient, of Music (Madame wagner,
and of her boy SiegfrIed. The second wife was the
pacifylng angel of the hearth She calned the
irascibiIity OF Wagner apologzed to the usicians
whom be led and bullied, for his rudeness; made
amends for his chursh stinginess. aud without
letting him know 1t, brought him to appear in the
most favorable ngnt De1Ore etranRerb. 10 express
his satisfaction at the performance of an accom-
plished violinist Wagner handed him one thaler.
The ladylke wife stepped up to the artist and TAX
ing the coin from him said: " A token given by
so illustfious composer shoud be set in diamonds
and mounted as "a breast pin or = clasp" In few
davs the tbaer was returned in the shape of jewel
to the vionst.
:: Madame Wagner was full sister of the late Ma
dame Emile Olivier and is still interesting ana
beautiful woman. She was given the uncommon
name of Cosima. When she married Wagner she
was tall splendidly formed, erect, graceful. had
noble profile, heavenly blue eyes. and head OF
hair the color OF field of ripe wheat. Her smile
was sweet and manner Tranquil. Madame d'Agoult
had given her manly education. She was too
pensive TO be VAIN. Wagner learned with her to
value softness in music. She and LIszt, who re-
sided at Wahnfried. talked in French, language
that Wagner understood and wrote well, Dut
mangled in speaking. 1t was a bad vehicle for ex-
pressing bis bursts of feeling or his mental trans
ports Those glowing dissertations W hich be im-
provsed at table talk were barbarous in French.
In German they had color, power, ease, life and
almost harmony. wagner had no conversational
gift. But a nonoIogst he wac the greatest
man of the century. His shocking vulRarity disap-
peared when surrounded by admirng disciples, and
his best faculties came into play Nine. Wagner
at such times did not attempt to hide her worship
full admiration, even before strangers.
LOWS AND HATREDs.
Wagners eye bore extraordinary power Of
sight and insight every object that he con
sciousiy looked at. He abused the Jews and thell
music. but am sure he must have been one him
sell. He had most of the bad and good qualities OF
the Chosen People. was hard as neither milestone
IN business impudent. pushing, and all Tor himself
and the world well lost. At home he was in his ole
age delightful. He tenderly loved his children
All his life he was COM passionate toward Tho
wretched and oppressed. TO see child ill-treated
drove him Wild In his first sojourn in Paris, wher
he was in dire poverty he gave hospitality TO foul