Leibzig, the 4th of March 1814
Most honored [Carl Friedrich Kunz]!
What should I make of your endlessly long silence? Every day the mail arrived I was
waiting for a letter and also perhaps for Jean Paul´s opening speech along with the addition
to my book, but all in vain! I don´t hope, that the reason for this delay is a displeasing cause
and heaven hope, that not a damn hunch, which throws you on the sickbed, has arrived! –
Without delay I am sending you in the attachment the finished fairy-tale with my heartily
wish, that it will give you joy with its continuous irony! -The idea to let the all fabulous,
which I think is given proper weight by a deeper interpretation, enter the common life
boldly, is indeed risky and as far as I know, has never been used by a German author in this
extent. You can also believe me, dearest friend, that I had to keep in constant tension and
concentration to completely stay in tone and measure. – How far I succeeded in that can be
for my friends to judge. Because of the division of the essay in both volumes it will be
necessary to leave it at that in the third, at the fairy-tale and the scenes on the life pp, but to
incorporate the last four essays in the fourth, because the scenes are very long, and will take
up over thirty print sheets with the fairy-tale.
-The scenes have all been completed, except for a few pages of the last one, and thus, in
short time, you can have the completed manuscript of the third book lying in your desk and
can have it printed just as you wish. Also with the forth one I could encourage myself on
request. – I have to tell you, dearest friend! a lot of important things about myself and some
events which have taken place here recently. Yet I will hold myself back, until I will have
received and read a letter of yours, thereupon you will hear elaborately, what you will be
interested in a lot, for I absolutely require your share in my fate. – We have had here plenty
of days (the last days of February) with 16 to 18 degrees centigrade; the rehearsals for
Camilla and most unreasonable opera ballets, which are organized by the Weimarian ballet
master Uhlig in this severe cold in the unheated theatre from 9 to 1 o’clock gave me
rheumatic affliction, which threw itself in my anguish and agony on the breast, so that I
could only escape the real mastitis and possibly death, by having a fast bloodletting (the first
in my life) and seven thousand eight hundred and forty other means –
The writer of this is sitting in this moment on his bed, behind his back towers an immense
number of cushions, the feet are wrapped in flannel and bedding is put over – The wrists are
wrapped in muff – The writer of this looks something like this:
When the unspeakable pain, which I am suffering from at the moment, declines just a bit, i
´ll be in good spirits, also the doctor assures me I should not think about long-term
consequences- Seconda wrings her hands, because the orchestra is being orphaned – Well
goodbye for today my most beloved friend! – Please me with a letter very soon and take
away all my worries about your well-being! – A thousand regards to both your lovely wife
and all your friends – my wife also sends her best regards.
Sincerely yours,
Hff: