Footnotes

1.

It should be noted that the first and second editions of these essays on Wagner appeared in pamphlet form, for which the above first preface was written.

2.

Fisher Unwin, 1911.

3.

T. N. Foulis, 1910.

4.

See Richard Wagner, by Houston Stuart Chamberlain (translated by G. A. Hight), pp. 15, 16.

5.

Constable & Co., 1911.

6.

See Author's Preface to “The Case of Wagner” in this volume.

7.

Senta is the heroine in the “Flying Dutchman”—Tr.

8.

A character in “Tannhauser.”—Tr.

9.

See “The Will to Power,” vol. ii., authorised English edition.—Tr.

10.

Note.—It was a real disaster for æsthetics when the word drama got to be translated by “action.” Wagner is not the only culprit here, the whole world does the same,—even the philologists who ought to know better. What ancient drama had in view was grand pathetic scenes,—it even excluded action (or placed it before the piece or behind the scenes). The word drama is of Doric origin, and according to the usage of the Dorian language it meant “event,” “history,”—both words in a hieratic sense. The oldest drama represented local legends, “sacred history,” upon which the foundation of the cult rested (—thus it was not “action,” but fatality. δρᾶν in Doric has nothing to do with action).

11.

Hegel and his school wrote notoriously obscure German.—Tr.

12.

Was Wagner a German at all? There are reasons enough for putting this question. It is difficult to find a single German trait in his character. Great learner that he was, he naturally imitated a great deal that was German—but that is all. His very soul contradicts everything which hitherto has been regarded as German, not to mention German musicians!—His father was an actor of the name of Geyer.… That which has been popularised hitherto as “Wagner's life” is fable convenue if not something worse. I confess my doubts on any point which is vouched for by Wagner alone. He was not proud enough to be able to suffer the truth about himself. Nobody had less pride than he. Like Victor Hugo he remained true to himself even in his biography,—he remained an actor.

13.

This undoubtedly refers to Nietzsche's only disciple and friend, Peter Gast—Tr.

14.

My “Genealogy of Morals” contains the best exposition of the antithesis “noble morality” and “Christian morality”; a more decisive turning point in the history of religious and moral science does not perhaps exist. This book, which is a touchstone by which I can discover who are my peers, rejoices in being accessible only to the most elevated and most severe minds: the others have not the ears to hear me. One must have one's passion in things, wherein no one has passion nowadays.

15.

An allusion to Schiller's poem: “Das verschleierte Bild zu Sais.”—Tr.

16.

What Schiller said of Goethe.—Tr.

17.

See note on page 37.

18.

It should be noted that the German Catholic party is called the Ultramontane Party. The river which can thus flow over mountains is Catholicism, towards which Nietzsche thought Wagner's art to be tending.—Tr.