Pisa, October 3rd, 1839
22. To Count Leo Festetics in Pest
[Printed in F. von Schober's "Letters about Liszt's Sojourn in
Hungary."]
Dear Count,
Shall you like to have me again at Pest this year? I know not. In
any case you are threatened with my presence from the 18th to the
22nd of next December. I shall come to you a little older, a
little more matured, and, permit me to say, more finished an
artist, than I was when you saw me last year, for since that time
I have worked enormously in Italy. I hope you have kept me in
remembrance, and that I may always count on your friendship,
which is dear to me.
What joy, what an immense happiness it will be to be once more in
my own country, to feel myself surrounded by such noble and
vigorous sympathies, which, thank God, I have done nothing to
forfeit in my distant and wandering life. What feelings, what
emotions will then fill my breast! All this, dear Count, I will
not attempt to express to you, for in truth I should not know
how. Let it suffice you to know that the love of my country, of
my chivalrous and grand country, has ever lived most deeply in my
heart; and that, if unhappily it does not seem likely that I can
ever show to my country what a love and devotion I feel for it,
the sentiments will remain none the less unchanged in my heart.
But I will not tire you any longer with myself and my sentiments.
I forgot to tell you that for nearly a week I have been confined
to my bed with a very severe fever, which might easily have
become more serious still. My second concert was obliged to be
put off on account of it. Today my doctor has given me permission
to play on Wednesday. I don't really know whether I shall be able
to do it, for my hand trembles fearfully. Excuse this horrible
writing, but I did want to send you a few words. It is a sort of
anticipation of Pest, which is sweet to me.
A revoir then very soon, dear Count; meanwhile believe me, as
ever, yours most sincerely,
F. Liszt
November 24th, 1839, in bed
23. To Clara Wieck
[The great pianist, afterwards Schumann's wife.]
Pest, December 25th, 1839
How grateful I am, Mademoiselle, for the kind remembrance you
keep of me! And how much I am already rejoicing at the thought of
seeing you and hearing you again soon in Leipzig! I was so vexed
not to be in Paris last winter when I knew you were going to
spend some time there. Perhaps I should have been able to be of
some little use to you there. You know that, at all times and in
every country, I shall always be at your service. I should become
too lengthy if I allowed myself to reply in detail to your kind
questions about my new compositions.
