Vienna, April 28, 1875

Querido Berganza!

I am exceedingly sorry not to have replied sooner to your much appreciated letter, the more so as I do not wish to set you an example of how to neglect a friend. On the contrary, I think of you more than ever and am glad that next winter I shall be speaking to you, and above all seeing you, at least once every two weeks. Leipzig, although it contains enough original characters to enable a legion of novelists to fill an Alexandrian lending library (vide: the homeopaths, sailors, social democrats, emancipated poetesses, and foolish virgins in your letters), appears nevertheless to lack a decent photographer, seeing that the procurement of your likeness is meeting with such remarkable difficulties. You know that this is my ceterum censeo. Perhaps you will recall that an opportunity for granting me