Edward Taylor an Louis Spohr in Kassel

D^r. Louis Spohr
Hesse Cassel
Germany


Red Lion Court
Fleet Street

London. May 20. 1842

My Dear & honoured Friend

Your Letter surprised & alarmed me. I could scarely believe that your Elector would have refused the English Gouvernment such a request, or that he should chosen thus to insult the Queen of England’s representative. Your absence from the Norwich Festival is an event which I cannot allow myself to think of, for, alas! what would the Festival be to me without your presence?
I wrote instantly to Norwich, & the Commitee sent up Mr. Elwin & Mr. Athow to London as a special deputation to the Duke of Cambridge. Mr. Elwin is very well know to His Royal Highness’ brother, the Duke of Sussex, who immediately interested himself in our cause. The deputation from the Committee have seen the Duke of Cambridge, & he has promised to write to your Prince immediately & urgently requesting permission for you to come. I need not say how deeply¹ the members of the Committee feel with me the earnest hope that such a request will not be refused.
Lord Aberdeen is very much annoyed & surprised by the refusal which he has received; and no wonder.
I confess that I doubt the correctness of Mr. Kuper’s information², unless he has it from very good authority. If Prince Albert or the Queen had really desired to form your acquaintance, the Prince, I think, would not have refused to write to your Elector.
The Queen, I am sorry to say, refuses to hear any music but the miserable trash of the modern Italian school, & never suffers any either of the German or the English school to be performed in her hearing.
The dispute³ between the Philharmonic Directors & Moscheles is settled, and I am happy to say that your Sinfonia⁴ will be performed on the Concert after the next.⁵ Your Ouverture to Jessonda was played very finely at the last Concert, and greatly applauded.
And now, my dear Friend, I can only repeat my ardent & fervent prayer that our hopes may not be disappointed. My dear girls are broken hearted at the thought of your not coming. I think if your Prince knew the bitter mortification we should all feel, even he would relent.
Pray inform me his decision as soon as it is made.
Present my best regards to Madame Spohr & my valued friends around you, & believe me

My Dear Friend
Ever Yours most sincerly
Edw. Taylor