decadence, for an artist's mental attitude cannot be dissevered from
his product. This, I believe, was Nietzsche's theory in regard to
Wagner. That the breaking off of this friendship was a great blow to
the philosopher we know from his diary and from his letters. In fact,
his affection for Wagner, the man, was so great that it was not until
ten years had passed that he could bring himself to write the essay
which he had long had in mind, "The Fall of Wagner."
The year after the appearance of "Human, All-Too-Human," Nietzsche's
ill-health compelled him to resign his professorship at Bâle. He had a
small income which, together with the three thousand francs retiring
allowance granted him by the University, permitted him now to travel
moderately and to devote his entire time to his literary labours. He
first went to Berne, where he stayed a few weeks. Later he visited
Zürich and then St. Moritz. It was a brief holiday, but the change of
_locale,_ coupled with the relaxation from work, improved him both in
physical health and in spirits. The winter of 1879-80 he spent with his
mother at Naumburg, his old home; but the climate and the uncongenial
surroundings dragged down his health once more, and it was not until
toward the following spring, when he went to Venice, that he regained
even a semblance of his normal condition. Here he was in company with
Paul Rée and his life-long friend and disciple, Heinrich Köselitz,
commonly known as Peter Gast. Nietzsche stayed at Venice until October,
when he went to Genoa. The following year appeared "The Dawn of Day,"
his first book of constructive thinking.