208 What We Lose 



admiration for the musician. His pamphlets 

 against the Jew in music, his caricatures of the 

 French in defeat, were only a small part of the 

 offensive, wounding things that Wagner allowed 

 himself to utter. The anecdotes of the man's 

 arrogance are many. I know of one young 

 American who would enjoy Wagner's music 

 more had he never attempted to interview the 

 composer of Tristan. This particular enthusi- 

 ast had been sent by one of our newspapers to 

 Bayreuth for the express purpose of telling 

 Wagner how much the great world of America 

 delighted in the master's works, and to get 

 from him some sort of pleasant acknowledg- 

 ment, if possible, of the courtesy. The scribe 

 arrived in Bayreuth and wasted a score of 

 cards and letters without obtaining the promise 

 of an interview. The situation was becoming 

 desperate his newspaper wanted an interview. 

 The young man learned that Wagner was ac- 

 customed to stroll every morning in a certain 

 wood soon after sunrise. He waylaid the 

 composer and found him seated upon a bench. 

 Now Wagner did not love newspapers or news- 

 paper men, and he had good reason. But 



