to the point of foolishness! If by means of tones we allow plenty of
scope for guessing, this will be put to the credit of our intellects. Let
us irritate nerves, let us strike them dead: let us handle thunder and
lightning,--that is what overthrows.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}

But what overthrows best, is _passion_.--We must try and be clear
concerning this question of passion. Nothing is cheaper than passion! All
the virtues of counterpoint may be dispensed with, there is no need to
have learnt anything,--but passion is always within our reach! Beauty is
difficult: let us beware of beauty!{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~} And also of _melody!_ However much in
earnest we may otherwise be about the ideal, let us slander, my friends,
let us slander,--let us slander melody! Nothing is more dangerous than a
beautiful melody! Nothing is more certain to ruin taste! My friends, if
people again set about loving beautiful melodies, we are lost!{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}

_First principle_: melody is immoral. _Proof_: "Palestrina".
_Application_: "Parsifal." The absence of melody is in itself
sanctifying.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}

And this is the definition of passion. Passion--or the acrobatic feats of
ugliness on the tight-rope of enharmonic--My friends, let us dare to be
ugly! Wagner dared it! Let us heave the mud of the most repulsive
harmonies undauntedly before us. We must not even spare our hands! Only
thus, shall we become _natural_.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}

And now a last word of advice. Perhaps it covers everything--_Let us be
idealists!_--If not the cleverest, it is at least the wisest thing we can
do. In order to elevate men we ourselves must be exalted. Let us wander in
the clouds, let us harangue eternity, let us be careful to group great
symbols all around us! _Sursum! Bumbum!_--there is no better advice. The
"heaving breast" shall be our argument, "beautiful feelings" our
advocates. Virtue still carries its point against counterpoint. "How could
he who improves us, help being better than we?" man has ever thought thus.
Let us therefore improve mankind!--in this way we shall become good (in
this way we shall even become "classics"--Schiller became a "classic"). The
straining after the base excitement of the senses, after so-called beauty,
shattered the nerves of the Italians: let us remain German! Even Mozart's
relation to music--Wagner spoke this word of comfort to us--was at bottom
frivolous.{~HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS~}

Never let u