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[Given by the addressee, subsequently celebrated as Mathilde Marchesi, teacher of singing, in "Aus meinem Leben" (Bagel, Dusseldorf)]
Mademoiselle,
Here is the letter for the Grand Master de Luttichau, which M. de Ziegesar has just written in your honor and glory, with all the good grace and obligingness which he keeps for you.
As regards introductions to Berlin there is a provoking contretemps for you. H.R.H. the Princess of Prussia will pass the winter at Coblentz.
Meyerbeer, to whom I beg you to remember me respectfully, will certainly be your best patron with the Court, and I have no doubt that he will receive you with sympathy and interest.
I will also send you, in the course of the week, a letter for the Chamberlain of H.R.H. Princess Charles of Prussia, which Ziegesar has promised me.
As to our concert, fixed for the 19th (Saturday next), I assure you frankly that I should not have ventured to speak to you of it, and that I hardly venture now.
The receipts are to be devoted to some pension fund, always so low in funds in our countries; consequently I am not in a position to propose any suitable terms. Now as, on the occasion of the performance of the "Messiah," you have already been only too kind to us, it really would not do for me to return to the charge, unless you were to authorize me to do so quite directly and positively, by writing me an epistolary masterpiece somewhat as follows:--
"I will sing in a perfunctory manner, but with the best intentions and the best will in the world, the air from...(here follows the name of the piece), and the duet from "Semairamide" with Milde or Mademoiselle Aghte, next Saturday; and in order not to put anybody out, I will arrive at the exact time of the rehearsal, on Friday at four o'clock."
If any such idea as this should come into your head please let me know (by telegram if need be), so that by Monday night, or, at latest, Tuesday midday, I may be able to make the programme, which must appear by Wednesday morning at latest.
With homage and friendship,
F. Liszt
Friday, October 11th, 1850 Be so kind as to give a friendly shake of the hand from me to Joachim; recommend him not to be too late in arriving at Weimar, where we expect him for the evening of the 14th.
P.S.--At the moment when I was going to send my letter to the post the following lines reached me. I send them to you intact, and you will see by them that you could not have friends better disposed towards you than those of Weimar.
Please do not fail to write direct to Ziegesar to thank him for his kindness, of which you have been sensibly informed by me (without alluding to his letter, which you will return to me), and at the same time say exactly which week you will arrive in Berlin; unless, however, you prefer to come and tell him this verbally on Friday or Saturday evening at the Altenburg, after you have again chanted to us and enchanted us. [Literal translation, on account of play on words.]
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