The Case Of Wagner, Nietzsche Contra Wagner, and Selected Aphorisms Part 6

18.

Wagner pursues one form of madness, the age another form. Both carry on their chase at the same speed, each is as blind and as unjust as the other.

19.

It is very difficult to trace the course of Wagner's inner development-no trust must be placed in his own description of his soul's experiences. He writes party-pamphlets for his followers.

20.

It is extremely doubtful whether Wagner is able to bear witness about himself.

21.

There are men who try in vain to make a principle out of _themselves_.

This was the case with Wagner.

22.

Wagner's obscurity concerning final aims; his non-antique fogginess.

23.

All Wagner's ideas straightway become manias; he is _tyrannised_ over by them. How can _such a man allow himself to be tyrannised over in this __ way_! For instance by his hatred of Jews. He _kills_ his themes like his "ideas," by means of his violent love of repeating them. The problem of excessive length and breadth; he bores us with his raptures.

24.

"_C'est la rage de voulour penser et sentir au dela de sa force_"

(Doudan). The Wagnerites.

25.

Wagner whose ambition far exceeds his natural gifts, has tried an incalculable number of times to achieve what lay beyond his powers-but it almost makes one shudder to see some one a.s.sail with such persistence that which defies conquest-the fate of his const.i.tution.

26.

He is always thinking of the most _extreme_ expression,-in every word. But in the end superlatives begin to pall.

27.

There is something which is in the highest degree suspicious in Wagner, and that is Wagner's suspicion. It is such a strong trait in him, that on two occasions I doubted whether he were a musician at all.

28.

The proposition: "in the face of perfection there is no salvation save love,"(16) is thoroughly Wagnerian. Profound jealousy of everything great from which he can draw _fresh_ ideas. Hatred of all that which he cannot approach, the Renaissance, French and Greek art in style.

29.

Wagner is jealous of all periods that have shown _restraint_: he despises beauty and grace, and finds only his own _virtues_ in the "Germans," and even attributes all his failings to them.

30.

Wagner has not the power to unlock and liberate the soul of those he frequents. Wagner is not sure of himself, but distrustful and arrogant.

His _art_ has this effect upon artists, it is envious of all rivals.

31.

_Plato's Envy._ He would fain monopolise Socrates. He saturates the latter with himself, pretends to adorn him (?a??? S????t??), and tries to separate all Socratists from him in order himself to appear as the only true apostle. But his historical presentation of him is false, even to a parlous degree: just as Wagner's presentation of Beethoven and Shakespeare is false.