Edward Taylor an Louis Spohr in Kassel

6 Queens Place
Upper Thames S.¹
July 13. 1852

My dear & honoured Friend

It really seems as if the fates intended to forbid my hearing your compositions.
when Faust was once performed in England by a German company I was on the Continent. At your last visit I was ill in bed when you conducted the Fall of Babylon. The other day I was disabled by lameness, and on Thursday I must go into Essex to vote for the liberal Candidate, Sir² Edward Buxton, that being the day fixed by the Sheriff.
As the contest will be a severe one, and every vote, therefore, of consequence, I am unwilling to neglect my duty. I will endeavour to get back to London in time for the Opera, but I fear this is very uncertain, so the place at which I have to vote is in a distant past of the County, and no rail way near.
This is a renewed mortification to me, but I know you will think that every friend to liberal principles ought to be at his post in time of need.
Many thanks for your great kindness to my young friend Fitzwilliam.³
With compliments to Madame Spohr, I am

My dear Friend
Yours most truly
Edw. Taylor