Edward Taylor an Louis Spohr in Kassel

D^r. Louis Spohr
Hesse Cassel.
Germany.


Red Lion Court.
Fleet Street. Sept. 11. 1841.

Me dear & honoured Friend.

The parcel, containing the Orchestral parts, has arrived¹, and I am impatient to discharge the various pecuniary obligations under which I lay to you, & again to remind you that the 20 Guineas from Moscheles have been at my Banker’s ever since he gave them to me.²
I now send you the first Act of my translation (for this letter would not contain both.) You will see that in some few instances I have been compelled to have the sense of the original; but, having your music always before me, I have written such words as the music (I hope) equally well expresses. There are some word & phrases which, perhaps, may puzzle Madame Spohr,³ because they are old & not used by modern English writers. Such words are taken from our translation of the Bible (made in the reign of our James I) and will be perfectly familiar to all English hearers on that account; and, besides it is desirable, in this poem, to retain, as much as possible, the Bible phraseology. Our friend, the German poet⁴, has selected the metres which in English are the most difficult, and, thereby, prevented my version from having the freedom & strength which I could have wished: and I have often said: ”how can I find words of equal power & eloquence with this music? You should have Milton to write for you, & not such a poor humble poet as I am.
I see, by the Orchestral parts, that you have finished the Ouverture. When you send me the full score (partitur) of the Oratorio, will you have the kindness also to send me the Piano Forte arrangement of the Ouverture for my English edition? Allow me, also, to say, that the metronome time is not marked in all the pieces in the copy that I have, & to request that you will have the kindness to mark the time of⁵ every piece in the full score.
There is no musical news in England; and this time of year, as you know, all the Concerts in London are over, and the Theatres are shut. The heads of my countrymen, besides, are too much filled with politics just now, to think about Music. You know that the Ministry is changed⁶ – from which I anticipate no good to the Country. The Tories will oppose themselves to all liberal measures, and the Commerce & Manufactures of England will be may much injured.⁷
Her liberties they dare not touch.
My Wife⁸ & daughters⁹ are, at present, at our house in Norfolk, where I forwarded the two letters which Madame Spohr had the kindness to write.
I write, this time, in English, for your excellent Lady understands our language so well, that it seems to me unnecessary to employ a German Secretary. Although it was always a great pleasure & honour to her to be your correspondent.¹⁰
Remember me most kindly to Madame Spohr, to Mad. de Malsburg & all my dear & hospitable friends at Cassel, & believe me

my honoured Friend
ever your most sincerely
Edw. Taylor

This week in the next Year I look forward to the great delight of seeing you under my roof.