Page:Selected letters of Mendelssohn 1894.djvu/132

118 a double row of ladies—you know the arrangement of our hall—to arrive at the spot where his majesty and suite were seated. He conversed with me a long time very kindly and pleasantly, and spoke with discrimination about musical topics. In the second part came the “hymn,” and at its conclusion, just as I had moved from my desk, I suddenly heard the people about me exclaiming, “Now the King is coming to him,” and true enough, he passed through the rows of ladies, came to my desk—you may fancy what a general jubilation there was—and spoke to me with so much feeling and cordiality that I felt in the highest degree delighted and honoured. He mentioned the particular passages which had pleased him best, thanked the singers, and so went away, both orchestra and audience making him the finest bows and courtesies they could contrive. There was altogether an uproar and confusion like Noah’s Ark. Now, perhaps, he will give us the 20,000 thalers I have long been endeavouring to get for our musical institutions here, and then I could truly say I had done some service to Leipsic music….

I say nothing of the “silver wedding” of the Leipsic Liedertafel; indeed, I have not quite recovered from it as yet. Heaven help us, what a bore our German fatherland is, when one looks at it from that side! I have a vivid recollection of father’s extreme repugnance to these institutions, and everything that has any sort of connection with “Cousin Michael.” I feel something similar in myself. Farewell, dearest mother. Yours ever,.