her name disappeared in that of the heathen Venus, to which all
conceptions of a being that entices to evil pleasures could be more
easily attached. One such mountain region was the Hoerselberg
(Orgelusa Mountain), in Thuringia, where Venus maintained a luxurious,
sensual court. Jubilant melodies were heard there, which led him,
whose blood ran riot, unwittingly into the mountain. A beautiful old
song, however, tells us that the noble knight, Tannhaeuser, mythically
the same as Heinrich von Ofterdingen, remained there a whole year,
and then was seized with the recollection of the life on earth, and
made a pilgrimage to Rome to obtain indulgence for his sins. It reads
thus:

"The Pope had a stick white and dry,
Cut from the branches so bare;
Thy sins shall all be forgiven,
When on it green leaves appear."

Tannhaeuser wanders again into the mountain. But the good sense of the
people knew what was just:

"To bring consolation to man,
The priest is commissioned of Heaven;
The penitent, sorrowing heart
Hath all its sins forgiven."

The condemnation of the penitent is the curse of the old church, for
according to the true doctrine of the Gospels, as accepted and
faithfully treasured by the German people after long struggles, it is
not deeds but faith that secures salvation. So in the progress of the
legend leaves sprout from the dry stick, for "high above the universe
is God and his mercy is no mockery."

Wagner gives to the loving Elizabeth the knowledge of this eternal
mercy and from a simple child-like being she ascends to the heights
of martyrdom. Not until one human soul had gained the strength to die
for his redemption is the vehemence of his own nature broken, and he
finds relief in death, thus verifying the essence of religion and
rejecting forever false church-doctrine.

"A consuming glowing excitement kept my blood and nerves in a state of
feverish agitation," Wagner says, speaking of the first presentation
of this "Tannhaeuser." His fortunate change of circumstances, contact
with a luxurious court, and the expectation of material success had
fostered a desire for pleasure that led him in a direction counter to
his real nature. There was no other way to satisfy this craving except
by following as an artist the reigning fashion and the general
striving after success. "If I were to condense all that is pernicious
and wearisome in the making of opera-music, I