Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/46

 HISTORY OF MENDELSSOHN'S "ELIJAH.

��family in Berlin, became very intimate with Felix, who was always Mr. Moore's guest during his visits to Birmingham.

Here is Mendelssohn's reply to the Committee's invitation : —

[To Joseph Moore, Esq.]

[Written in English.]

" Frankfort, July 24, 1845.

" My dear Sir, — Have many thanks for your very kind and welcome letter, which I received a few days ago, and pray tell the members of the Committee for the next Festival how truly indebted I feel to them for the honour they have done me in inviting me to come over to their meeting next year.

" I hope nothing shall prevent me to accept of so flattering and honourable an invitation, and beg to thank the Committee and yourself, my dear Sir, most sincerely for it.

" You know with how great a pleasure I have always visited your country ; the prospect of doing so again affords always a true gratification to me, and your kind and hospitable invitation greatly adds to the pleasure I may thus anticipate. I have only to wish, then, that nothing may occur to picvent me from accepting so much kindness ; for it is indeed a long time — more than a year — for settling any plans. Pray let me know at what time you would wish to have a positive and decided answer — I mean at what time 30U would consider my answer as an engagement, which could not be altered on any account ; and let me also know what you mean in saying that I am to ( 30 )

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