y word. But
in the end superlatives begin to pall.

27.

There is something which is in the highest degree suspicious in Wagner,
and that is Wagner's suspicion. It is such a strong trait in him, that on
two occasions I doubted whether he were a musician at all.

28.

The proposition: "in the face of perfection there is no salvation save
love,"(16) is thoroughly Wagnerian. Profound jealousy of everything great
from which he can draw _fresh_ ideas. Hatred of all that which he cannot
approach, the Renaissance, French and Greek art in style.

29.

Wagner is jealous of all periods that have shown _restraint_: he despises
beauty and grace, and finds only his own _virtues_ in the "Germans," and
even attributes all his failings to them.

30.

Wagner has not the power to unlock and liberate the soul of those he
frequents. Wagner is not sure of himself, but distrustful and arrogant.
His _art_ has this effect upon artists, it is envious of all rivals.

31.

_Plato's Envy._ He would fain monopolise Socrates. He saturates the latter
with himself, pretends to adorn him ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), and tries to
separate all Socratists from him in order himself to appear as the only
true apostle. But his historical presentation of him is false, even to a
parlous degree: just as Wagner's presentation of Beethoven and Shakespeare
is false.

32.

When a dramatist speaks about himself he plays a part: this is inevitable.
When Wagner speaks about Bach and Beethoven he speaks like one for whom he
would fain be taken. But he impresses only those who are already
convinced, for his dissimulation and his genuine nature are far too
violently at variance.

33.

Wagner struggles against the "frivolity" in his nature, which to him the
ignoble (as opposed to Goethe) constituted the joy of life.

34.

Wagner has the mind of the ordinary man who prefers to trace things to
_one_ cause. The Jews do the same: one _aim_, therefore one Saviour. In
this way he simplifies German and culture; wrongly but strongly.

35.

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