From 1872-77 not a single opera was performed privately; but in 1878 he heard Verdi's Aïda, with Wagner's Siegfrid-idyl as the introduction. In 1879 he caused Der Ring des Niebelungen to be performed four times in succession. In 1880 he heard Wagner's Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, and Verdi's Aïda. In 1881 Gluck's Iphegenie auf Tauris, Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, and Weber's Oberon. In 1882 Gluck's Armida, Wagner's Tannhäuser, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Lohengrin, and Meyerbeer's Huguenots. In 1883 Der Ring des Niebelungen, Der Fliegende Holländer. In 1884 Tristan und Isolde, and six times Parsifal. Besides this were given at his command Die Stumme von Portici, by Auber, and again Gluck's Armida. In 1885, in the month of April, he heard Parsifal three times. Of plays he saw this year Schiller's Wilhelm Tell, Sardou's Theodora, Brachvogel's Narcisz, and several pieces by Carl von Heigel, a gifted Bavarian writer who for a number of years wrote and adapted dramatic works for the King's private performances. [31] Kainz was born in Hungary. He had appeared in Leipzig and Meiningen before he came to Munich. [32] Ludwig made few journeys; he was three times in Switzerland, three times in Paris, also at Versailles and Rheims. On one occasion he visited Wartburg. At a later date it was his intention to go by way of Reichenhall and Saltzburg to Vienna, in order to visit the Emperor and Empress of Austria; but he turned back at Salzburg. The greater number of his journeys within the limits of Bavaria were to Berg, Linderhof Chiemsee, and Neuschwanstein. [33] Osterholzer was later forced to declare publicly that Holnstein had not said this; but nobody believed in the compulsory retraction. [34] To the Editor Memminger. [35] It was almost immediately suppressed, but was printed in the Bamberger Journal. [36] On his arrival at Munich, Count Dürckheim was arrested, and charged with high treason. As no proofs were forthcoming against him he was later set free. He was long in disfavour with the new powers, who among other things refused his earnest prayer to be allowed to see King Ludwig after death. Count Alfred Dürckheim is now a general. [37] When, after the King's death, Weber proved to be in possession of his diamond clasp, it was thought at first that he had come by it dishonestly. The writing, however, by which he had engaged himself not to give it up except on payment of 25,000 marks convinced the authorities that they had been mistaken. As the diamonds constituted a part of the Crown jewels, Weber had, nevertheless, to return them. As far as is known he received a small sum of money in return for them, as it was desired that the King's last gift should be respected. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ludwig the Second, by Clara Tschudi