Autograf: Universitätsbibliothek Kassel - Landesbibliothek und Murhardsche Bibliothek der Stadt Kassel (D-Kl), Sign. 4° Ms. Hass. 287[Taylor, E.:48

Dr. Louis Spohr
Hesse Cassel
Germany

via France


Gresham College
London_ Jan 30„ 1847

My Dear & honoured Friend

I doubt not that Madame Spohr has heard from Margaret that it has pleased our heavenly Father to take unto himself my dear Wife1. Our feelings under this event can be no other that those of devout gratitude: for selfish indeed would be the love which could desire a prolongation of life under circumstances of such suffering as she had to endure. In a state of hopeless, nameless anguish – every limb distorted2 & every muscle quivering with pain, incapable of motion & insensible to every thing but acute anguish. Death was, indeed, a welcome visitor. ”Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they not from their labours, & their works follow them.“ The Christian‘s consolations are with him dening every affliction dispensation: he knows that every event of life is ardened by infinite wisdom, and in the hour of earthly separation he looks forward to that blessed state where the good & virtuos shall meet again, & when ”sorrow, pain & death shall be known no more.“
Dear Margaret has had a long & severe, though a benificial trial to go through. I have often found for her strengh & spirits; but she has been crucifully supported through it, with the grateful conciousness of having well performed her duty. She will remain, for the present, with Mr. & Mr. Whittle at Harpford.
Let me now turn to the gratifying subject of your visit to England. One condition of it I hope it is scarcely nessessary for me to name. I look forward to the great pleasure of you again being my visitor. This is a gratification which, under no cirumstances, I could have consented to surrender, but now that Margaret is quite free, and, of course, will be in London during your & Madame Spohr‘s stay, it is one to which I can look forward with unmixed delight. I will not add another word on the subject, as I have always regarded your visit to England & your residence under my roof as inseparably connected.
The musical quarrels incident to the additional Italian Opera House have begun. Jenny Lind is annonced at Drury Lange & also at the Opera house. I suppose she will have to perform at Westminster Hall (in our Courts of Law) & to exhibit her voice in a case examination by some of our Counsellors (Advocates)3 They say that Mendelssohn is writing an Opera for the old Italian Opera House.4 What will a set of modern Italian Singers do with his music? They are trained to use a Song as a sketch which they are to colour, embroider & fill up as they please. What will Felix say to that? I confess I think the union an ill-assorted one.
Remember me most kindly to Madame Spohr & to Madame de Malsburg, & Believe me

My Dear Friend
Ever Yours most faithfully
Edw. Taylor

Autor(en): Taylor, Edward
Adressat(en): Spohr, Louis
Erwähnte Personen: Lind, Jenny
Malsburg, Caroline von der
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix
Spohr, Marianne
Taylor, Deborah
Taylor, Margaret
Whittle, James
Whittle, Kate
Erwähnte Kompositionen:
Erwähnte Orte:
Erwähnte Institutionen: Drury Lane Theatre <London>
Her Majesty's Theatre <London>
Zitierlink: www.spohr-briefe.de/briefe-einzelansicht?m=1847013034

Spohr



Dieser Brief ist die Antwort auf 20.12.1846. Spohr beantwortete diesen Brief am 07.04.1847.

[1] Deborah Taylor.

[2] Hier ein Wort gestrichen.

[3] Zum Rechtstreit vgl. Alfred Bunn, The Case or Bunn versus Lind, tried at the Court of Queen‘s bench, Guildhall City [...], London 1848.

[4] Der Direktor des Her Majesty‘s Theatre, Benjamin Lumley, versuchte von Mendelssohn eine Oper nach Shakespeares The Tempest auf ein Libretto von Eugène Scribe zu erhalten (vgl. Lumley, Reminiscences of the Opera, London 1864, S. 166f.).

Kommentar und Verschlagwortung, soweit in den Anmerkungen nicht anders angegeben: Karl Traugott Goldbach (12.07.2019).