Excerpt from Opera Drama, Vol. 1 of 2
It has long been recognised in Germany that the best way to render the effect of Wagner's life-work permanent is to secure a sufficient attention to his prose writings; and not only an attention sufficient in amount, but of the right kind.
There have hitherto been two customs prevailing with regard to these works; each, no doubt, natural and excusable, but neither of them much calculated to further the master's interest from the higher standpoint. One of these has consisted of making use of books merely for reference - say for the purpose of settling disputes with regard to the composer, of quoting his aphorisms, or of drawing instruction as to points of detail falling within the range of his specialities. The other has been merely an indulgence of curiosity in following Wagner's treatment of social questions; a certain polemical interest in the latter having been aroused both by his boldness in harnessing them to the musical subject, and by the energetic or even somewhat provocative choice of terms employed.
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