tar of hope. "To the Pleiades and to Bootes"
Beethoven had likewise marked in his copy of the Odyssey.

We close therefore this chapter of banishment and dire misfortunes
with the prospect of a brighter future by communicating the plan of
the text of that work as he had already framed it in 1845.

"I conceived Hans Sachs to be the last appearance of the artistic
spirit of the people" he says, "and placed him in opposition to the
narrow-minded citizens from whom the Mastersingers were chosen. To
their ridiculous pedantry, I gave personal expression in the Marker
whose duty it was to pay attention to the mistakes of the singers,
especially of those who were candidates for admission to the guild."
Whenever a certain number of errors had been committed the singer had
to step down and was declared unworthy of the distinction he sought.
The eldest member of the guild now offered the hand of his young
daughter to that master who should win the prize at the public
song-festival.

The Marker, who already is a suitor, finds a rival in the person of a
young nobleman who, inspired by heroic tales and the minnesingers'
deeds, leaves his ruined ancestral castle to learn the art of the
mastersingers in Nuremberg. He announces himself for admission
prompted mainly by his sudden and growing love for the prize-maiden
who can only be gained by a "master." At the examination he sings an
inspired song which however gives constant offense to the Marker, so
much so, that before he is half through he has exhausted the limit of
errors. Sachs, who is pleased with the young nobleman, for his own
welfare frustrates the desperate attempt to elope with the maiden. In
doing this he finds at the same time an opportunity to greatly vex the
Marker. The latter, who to humiliate Sachs had upbraided him because
of a pair of shoes which were not yet ready, posts himself at night
before the window of the maiden and sings his song as a test, for it
is important to gain her vote upon which rests the final decision when
the prize is bestowed. Sachs, whose workshop lies opposite the house
for which the serenade is intended, when the Marker opens, begins to
sing loudly also because as he declares to the irate serenader, this
is necessary for him, if he would remain awake while at work so late,
and that the work is urgent none knows better than he who had so
harshly rebuked him for tardiness. At last he promises to desist, on
condition however that he be permit