TBX  PLXABUBM  OF  CBXATISO  88

ciam  "  for  his  vork  became  more  abeorbii^  the  ceaier  be
approached  the  end  —  after  completing  TbnnAduaer  he
felt  as  if  he  had  escaped  "  a  deadly  peril " ;  and  "  when  I
have  finished  such  a  work  as  the  Walktire,"  he  wrote  to
Uhlig,—

"  I  always  leel  u  if  I  had  sweated  lome  fnrfnl  anxietf  oat  of
my  bodjr  —  an  anxiety  that  oonatantly  iDcreaaea  u  the  work  !■
dnwlDK  to  a  close ;  a  kind  of  fear  leat  I  might  spoil  something. I
write  my  sigDstnre,  with  the  date  underneath,  In  aa  much  haste  aa
11  the  devil  mm  atandlng  behind  me,  and  wished  to  prevent  ma
£rom  finishing."

The  source  of  this  fanaticism  for  work  is,  of  conrs^
the  delight  of  begetting  immortal  children. "More  and
more  I  am  becomii^  convinced, "  he  writes  to  Lisz^  "  that
men  of  our  type  most  really  be  always  unwell  except  in
the  moments,  hoars,  and  days  of  creative  excitement;  but
then,  it  most  be  admitted,  we  enjoy  and  revel  more  than
all  other  men."  In  another  letter  he  declares  that  his
life  is  endurable  only  in  work:  "rest  is  death  to  me."
And  ^ain :  —

"  If  I  had  to  get  up  tome  morning  without  being  allowed  to  con-
Unne  my  moalc,!  should  be  unhappy."  "Work  is  the  only  pleaa-
ore  remaining  to  me ;  for  that  reason  1  woik  too  much."  >■  Talk-
ing, letter-writing,  business  complications  —  these  are  my  life-foes ;
undisturbed,  peaceful  creation  and  work  are,  on  the  contrary,  my
life's  preserveis."  "  So  long  aa  I  work  I  can  deceive  myself,  bat
aa  aoon  aa  I  give  myself  np  to  recreation  I  can  no  longer  deceive
myself,  and  then  my  wretchednees  la  simply  terrible."

With  all  his  delight  in  creative  activity,  he  understood
the  truth  which  Moore  has  expressed  in  this  question:
"  Whem  did  ever  a  sublime  thought  spring  up  in  the  sonl,
that  melancholy  was  not  to  be  found,  however  latent,  in


LAST  rK£as«r  J


Tuiw  to  Zor:  h,  w«  w«n  sUigadi  to  pnt  amr  i

iiic^n^:.!!!;  -  eats  pne«du«  hM  tUiA  Tint:  «•
ttiervfi^K  r-:nM«  our  atofa^  uidt  brMf  titinii

the^tcBtsuf  :hefearlS56. iBjuumrheagUD

to  cbe  i>ru>^t  >af  wUck  be  bid  spoken  to  Liait  whea

waa  at  *c.rk. on  HAn'Bpo/fn  of  j^viinn^-  i  kvprist-  Ha
fouri'i  \\iaX. 