The poet-musician was in the greatest straits for money. His friends advised him again to address himself to the King. It was his opinion, however, that he had already taken greater advantage of his protector's generosity than he ought to have done. As he saw no other way of paying his debts, he sold the "Ring," on which he had worked for nearly thirty years, and which the theatre at Bayreuth had been built for, to a theatre agent. Hard as the sale must have been to him, it helped him over his difficulties. The "Ring" made a triumphal progress across the chief stages of Germany. Divergent art tendencies were agreed in admiration of his work, and his name shone with greater lustre than before. Since that time enthusiastic hosts of listeners have made pilgrimages from all parts of Europe and America to the little town, to do homage to the great poet-composer and his works. With the lapse of years Ludwig's admiration for his person had somewhat cooled, and during the visits to Bayreuth no trace had been visible of his earlier enthusiastic attachment. But if the friendship no longer had the warmth of youth it was by no means dead. In the year 1879 Wagner wrote to Emil Heckel of a "kind letter which the King had sent him." The master's works had taken deep root in the King's mind. In 1881 he became the patron of the Bayreuth festival. He ordered that the orchestra and chorus of the Hof Theater should be for two months in the year at the disposal of Richard Wagner. In 1882, when Parsifal was given for the first time, he expressed a wish for a private performance at which he could be present unnoticed. He changed his mind, however, at the last moment, perhaps because the German Crown Prince was to be among the audience. Some time afterwards Parsifal was played in Munich, with the assistance of the same artists who had sung at Bayreuth. After the first rehearsals of this opera had taken place Wagner wrote a treatise in letter form on his person and works, which he sent to Ludwig. It began with the following words:-- "I will not write another note. My work is complete! I have successfully and victoriously accomplished my mission, despite the hostile onrush of a world of opponents." This was one of the last letters from the composer-poet to this King, who had been to him more than a friend.