The crisis came in 1858, when they separated, Minna retiring to Dresden.  Two years later, when Wagner was ill in Paris, she went there and nursed him, but they separated again.  An interesting fact, not generally known, is that, in 1862, when Wagner was in Biebrich on the Rhine composing his “Meistersinger,” Minna came from Dresden as a surprise to pay him a visit—­evidently an effort to effect a reconciliation.  Wendelin Weissheimer, a conductor at the opera in Mayeuse on the opposite bank of the river and a close friend of Wagner’s at that time, has left an enlightening record of the episode.

Wagner, he says, “the heaven-storming genius, who knew no bounds, tried to play the role of Hausvater—­of loving husband and comforter.  He had some cold edibles brought in from the hotel, made tea, and himself boiled half a dozen eggs. [What a picture!  The composer of ‘Tristan’ boiling eggs!] Afterwards he put on one of his familiar velvet dressing-gowns and a fitting barretta, and proceeded to read aloud the book of ’Die Meistersinger.’

“The first act passed off without mishap save for some unnecessary questions from Minna.  But at the beginning of the second act, when he had described the stage-setting—­’to the right the cobbler shop of Hans Sachs; to the left,’ etc.,—­Minna exclaimed: 

“‘And here sits the audience!’ at the same time letting a bread-ball roll over Wagner’s manuscript.  That ended the reading.”

The visit of course was futile.  Minna returned to Dresden, where she died in 1866.  Poor Minna!  A good cook, but she did not appreciate his genius, would seem to sum up her story.  Yet it is but just that we should pay at least a passing salute to this woman who was the love of Wagner’s youth and the drudge of his middle life, and who, from the distance of her lonely separation, saw him basking in the favor of the king, who, too late for her, had become his munificent patron.—­What a contrast between her fate and Cosima’s!

[Illustration:  Richard and Cosima Wagner entertaining in their home Wahnfried, Liszt, and Hans von Wolzogen.  Painting by W. Beckmann.]

Were it not for Liszt’s letters, meagre would be the information regarding Cosima before her marriage to Wagner.  But by going over his voluminous correspondence and picking out references to her here and there, I am able to give at least some idea of her earlier life.

This extraordinary woman, who brought Wagner so much happiness and of whom it may be said that no other woman ever played so important a part in the history of music, came to her many graces and accomplishments by right of birth.  She was the daughter of Liszt and the Countess d’Agoult, a French author, better known under her pen name of “Daniel Stern.”  Thus she had genius on one side of her parentage and distinguished talent on the other; and, on both sides, rare personal charm and tact.