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# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 222

222.—AN OBESE BASSO.
The great basso, Lablache, besides being a very tall man was remarkably large and heavy. In fact, he was so large that, when living in London, he had a cab of extraordinary size built for his use, as the ordinary "growler" persisted in breaking down under his weight; and it was considerable more trouble to get out from a wrecked vehicle than it was to get into it. It is told that when he was one time singing in Havana, as he was riding along the street in a cab, the bottom of the carriage was crushed through by his heavy weight, letting his feet down on the ground. The cabman knew nothing of the accident but continued to drive on, serenely unconscious of his employer's plight. So there was nothing for the elephantine basso to do but to run along, keeping up with the cabby's pace, all the while calling to the driver to stop. Those who saw Lablache's plight had a hearty laugh at the spectacle of those fat legs sticking out from under the cab.
At another time he was cast in an opera for the part of a prisoner who had wasted away by years of incarceration in the dungeon. When this mountain of flesh came walking down the stage singing, "I am starving," ​the whole house broke into a roar of laughter, and the obese basso had to make an ignominious exit, followed by the shouts of the audience.
What a pair Lablache and Mme. Alboni would have made.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 224

224.—A GREAT GERMAN SONGSTRESS.
Henrietta Sontag had to combat a great prejudice from her very first appearance on the stage. This was the idea held by the musical world of that day that a German could not sing. Old Frederick the Great was not alone in this prejudice. Sontag made her début in ​1820, when but fifteen years of age; and so short of stature was she at that time, that they had her wear shoes with heels four inches high. As time went on, she became one of a group of great sopranos, of which the others were Fodor, Pasta, Malibran, and Catalani.
In Berlin Sontag met Count Rossi, and, as an ardent attraction sprang up between them, they became engaged, but the engagement was kept a secret for some time, owing to the probable opposition of the Count's relations, the Bonapartes. In Paris she captivated the heart of Charles DeBeriot; but, true to Count Rossi, she refused the hand of this celebrated violinist.
DeBeriot was greatly dejected at his refusal. Mme. Malibran, meeting him shortly after this event, exerted herself to arouse him from his melancholy; and, in fact, she succeeded so well that his admiration and regard turned to this beautiful Spanish singer, and he consoled himself for the loss of Sontag by marrying Malibran. In after years Malibran was a bitter rival of Sontag, as she never forgot that the latter was DeBeriot's first love.
A year or two after Sontag's marriage to Rossi the union was made public, and, as Countess Rossi, she bade farewell to the stage. Then came a period of twenty years of happy life with her husband at the different European capitals. But, in 1849, her husband having lost his property by political changes, Sontag returned to the operatic stage, where, although she had to enter the lists against the talents and popularity of Jenny Lind, she renewed her triumphs both in Europe and America. She had restored the family fortune by her income on the stage, and was about to leave it forever, when she was attacked by the cholera in our southern climate, at the City of Mexico, and in a few hours was dead.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 218

218.—BEETHOVEN'S GRATITUDE.
In spite of his occasional petulance of temper, Beethoven had a warm heart for those in distress; and, moreover, he seldom forgot any one who had rendered him a good service, although he did at times impute selfish motives to his friends when they advised him for what they considered his own good. When his mother lay ill at his old home in Bonn, he hurried to her from Vienna, but arrived in time only to witness her death. After the funeral he found himself reduced to the verge of starvation. Had it not been for the violinist, Ries, who advanced him some funds, he would have suffered the pangs of hunger.
​Many years afterward, the son of this violinist came to Beethoven for musical instruction and presented a note of introduction from his father. The great composer gave him a warm reception, a thing many aspirants for his instruction did not receive; and besides having his request that Beethoven should oversee his musical education granted, he was given this message to his old father in Bonn:—
"Tell your father I have not forgotten the death of my mother."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 223

223.—PRESERVING IDENTITY.
The dislike that Mendelssohn had to being mistaken for Meyerbeer has had parallels among musicians of lesser note.
The public hardly has a fair chance to see the features of the conductor as he sits with his back to the audience. Sir Julius Benedict and Arditi, both most excellent opera conductors were much averse to being taken for each other. The fact that Sir Julius was bald-headed did not help matters any, for Arditi also suffered from a depletion of hirsute appendage.
On one occasion Benedict was seen to go into the prima donna's dressing room just before the evening's performance, and, taking up a hairbrush carefully arrange his scanty locks so that they would cover as much space as possible. When asked his reason for the rearrangement he answered, "Oh, I don't want to be taken for Arditi while I am directing."
Shortly afterward in came Arditi and with a couple of brushes began to so arrange his hair as to cover as little as possible of the baldness. When questioned as to his reason for making himself look as bald as possible, he said, "Why, I don't want to be mistaken for Benedict."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 225

225.—A SIGHT FOR THE BOYS.
Moscheles tells the following story of Beethoven: "One morning I went to call on Beethoven quite early, and found him still lying in bed; but he happened to be in remarkably good spirits, and jumping up immediately without dressing, placed himself as he was, at the window looking out on the street, to examine my arrangement of certain numbers from 'Fidelio.'
"Soon a crowd of boys collected under the window, and seeing them he roared out:—
"'Now, what do those confounded boys want?'
"I laughed and pointed to his slightly adorned figure.
"'Yes, yes, you are quite right,' said he, and hastily put on a dressing gown."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 220

220.—MUSIC VS. CONVERSATION.
Music is one of the most powerful known incentives to conversation. To appreciate this statement one has only to use his powers of observation at the next social gathering he may happen to attend. Things may have been as dead as a door nail before, but let some one begin to play or sing and at once numerous individuals more sociable than polite feel urged to start conversation with their neighbors. Such an occasion seems quite a test of true politeness, and yet were one to intimate on such an occasion that any law of good breeding had been infringed much offense would be taken.
Were the musicians to follow the plan taken by Corelli, the great violinist, a better state of things might gradually come about.
On one occasion he was performing at the house of Cardinal Ottoboni for a select gathering. Observing the cardinal taking part in what seemed to be an interesting conversation with a guest while he was playing, Corelli laid down his instrument in the middle of his performance, politely remarking, "I fear my music interrupts your Grace's conversation!"
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter VIII

8. But this, as I said, I do not mention, but allow it to pass away in silence. This one thing I ask, above all, What reason is there if I kill a pig, that a god changes his state of mind, and lays aside his angry feelings and frenzy; that if I consume a pullet, a calf under his eyes and on his altars, he forgets the wrong which I did to him, and abandons completely all sense of displeasure? What passes from this act to modify his resentment? Or of what service is a goose, a goat, or a peacock, that from its blood relief is brought to the angry god? Do the gods, then, make insulting them a matter of payment? and as little boys, to induce them to give up their fits of passion and desist from their wailings, get little sparrows, dolls, ponies, puppets, with which they may be able to divert themselves, do the immortal gods in such wise receive these gifts from you, that for them they may lay aside their resentment, and be reconciled to those who offended them? And yet I thought that the gods—if only it is right to believe that they are really moved by anger—lay aside their anger and resentment, and forgive the sins of the guilty, without any price or reward. For this belongs specially to deities, to be generous in forgiving, and to seek no return for their gifts. But if this cannot be, it would be much wiser that they should continue obstinately offended, than that they should be softened by being corrupted with bribes. For the multitude increases of those who sin, when there is hope given of paying for their sin; and there is little hesitation to do wrong, when the favour of those who pardon offences may be bought.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “work.”
* ↑ Lit., “remedy.”
* ↑ So Panes seems to be generally understood, i.e., images of Pan used as playthings by boys, and very much the same thing as the puppets—pupuli—already mentioned.
* ↑ So Panes seems to be generally understood, i.e., images of Pan used as playthings by boys, and very much the same thing as the puppets—pupuli—already mentioned.
* ↑ Lit., “to have liberal pardons and free concessions.”
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter X

10. But perhaps some one will say, We give to the gods sacrifices and other gifts, that, being made willing in a measure to grant our prayers, they may give us prosperity and avert from us evil, cause us to live always happily, drive away grief truly, and any evils which threaten us from accidental circumstances. This point demands great care; nor is it usual either to hear or to believe what is so easily said. For the whole company of the learned will straightway swoop upon us, who, asserting and proving that whatever happens, happens according to the decrees of fate, snatch out of our hands that opinion, and assert that we are putting our trust in vain beliefs. Whatever, they will say, has been done in the world, is being done, and shall be done, has been settled and fixed in time past, and has causes which cannot be moved, by means of which events have been linked together, and form an unassailable chain of unalterable necessity between the past and the future. If it has been determined and fixed what evil or good should befall each person, it is already certain; but if this is certain and fixed, there is no room for all the help given by the gods, their hatred, and favours. For they are just as unable to do for you that which cannot be done, as to prevent that from being done which must happen, except that they will be able, if they choose, to depreciate somewhat powerfully that belief which you entertain, so that they say that even the gods themselves are worshipped by you in vain, and that the supplications with which you address them are superfluous. For as they are unable to turn aside the course of events, and change what has been appointed by fate, what reason, what cause, is there to wish to weary and deafen the ears of those in whose help you cannot trust at your utmost need?

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “from the hands to us,” nobis, the reading of the ms., both Roman edd., Gelenius, LB., and Oehler; for which the rest give vobis—“out of your hands.”
* ↑ i.e., the learned men referred to above.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter XI

11. Lastly, if the gods drive away sorrow and grief, if they bestow joy and pleasure, how are there in the world so many and so wretched men, whence come so many unhappy ones, who lead a life of tears in the meanest condition? Why are not those free from calamity who every moment, every instant, load and heap up the altars with sacrifices? Do we not see that some of them, say the learned, are the seats of diseases, the light of their eves quenched, and their ears stopped, that they cannot move with their feet, that they live mere trunks without the use of their hands, that they are swallowed up, overwhelmed, and destroyed by conflagrations, shipwrecks, and disasters; that, having been stripped of immense fortunes, they support themselves by labouring for hire, and beg for alms at last; that they are exiled, proscribed, always in the midst of sorrow, overcome by the loss of children, and harassed by other misfortunes, the kinds and forms of which no enumeration can comprehend? But assuredly this would not occur if the gods, who had been laid under obligation, were able to ward off, to turn aside, those evils from those who merited this favour. But now, because in these mishaps there is no room for the interference of the gods, but all things are brought about by inevitable necessity, the appointed course of events goes on and accomplishes that which has been once determined.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “whence.”
* ↑ Lit., “so innumerable.”
* ↑ Lit., “ruins.”
* ↑ So Canterus suggests conf-iuntfor the ms. confic-—“bring about,”
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter XIII

13. We have shown sufficiently, as I suppose, that victims, and the things which go along with them, are offered in vain to the immortal gods, because they are neither nourished by them, nor feel any pleasure, nor lay aside their anger and resentment, so as either to give good fortune, or to drive away and avert the opposite. We have now to examine that point also which has been usually asserted by some, and applied to forms of ceremony. For they say that these sacred rites were instituted to do honour to the gods of heaven, and that these things which they do, they do to show them honour, and to magnify the powers of the deities by them. What if they were to say, in like manner, that they keep awake and sleep, walk about, stand still, write something, and read, to give honour to the gods, and make them more glorious in majesty? For what substance is there added to them from the blood of cattle, and from the other things which are prepared in sacrificing? what power is given and added to them? For all honour, which is said to be offered by any one, and to be yielded to reverence for a greater being, is of a kind having reference to the other; and consists of two parts, of the concession of the giver, and the increase of honour of the receiver. As, if any one, on seeing a man famed for his very great power and authority, were to make way for him, to stand up, to uncover his head, and leap down from his carriage, then, bending forward to salute him with slavish servility and trembling agitation, I see what is aimed at in showing such respect: by the bowing down of the one, very great honour is given to the other, and he is made to appear great whom the respect of an inferior exalts and places above his own rank.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “of most powerful name.”
* ↑ Lit., “imitating a slave’s servility”—ancillatum, the emendation of Hemsterhuis, adopted by Orelli, Hild., and Oehler for the unintelligible ms. ancillarum.
* ↑ Lit., “things.”
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter VII

7. But neither do I demand that this should be said, or that I should be told what causes the gods have for their anger against men, that having taken offence they must be soothed. I do ask, however, Did they ever ordain any laws for mortals? and was it ever settled by them what it was fitting for them to do, or what it was not? what they should pursue, what avoid; or even by what means they wished themselves to be worshipped, so that they might pursue with the vengeance of their wrath what was done otherwise than they had commanded, and might be disposed, if treated contemptuously, to avenge themselves on the presumptuous and transgressors? As I think, nothing was ever either settled or ordained by them, since neither have they been seen, nor has it been possible for it to be discerned very clearly whether there are any. What justice is there, then, in the gods of heaven being angry for any reason with those to whom they have neither deigned at any time to show that they existed, nor given nor imposed any laws which they wished to be honoured by them and perfectly observed?

## Footnotes

* ↑ It is perhaps possible so to translate the ms. neque si sunt ulli apertissima potuit cognitione dignosci, retained by Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, in which case si sunt ulli must be taken as the subject of the clause. The other edd., from regard to the construction, read visi—“nor, if they have been seen, has it been possible.”
* ↑ Lit., “kept with inviolable observance.”
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter XIV

14. But all this conceding and ascribing of honour about which we are speaking are met with among men alone, whom their natural weakness and love of standing above their fellows teach to delight in arrogance, and in being preferred above others. But, I ask, where is there room for honour among the gods, or what greater exaltation is found to be given to them by piling up sacrifices? Do they become more venerable, more powerful, when cattle are sacrificed to them? is there anything added to them from this? or do they begin to be more truly gods, their divinity being increased? And yet I consider it almost an insult, nay, an insult altogether, when it is said that a god is honoured by a man, and exalted by the offering of some gift. For if honour increases and augments the grandeur of him to whom it is given, it follows that a deity becomes greater by means of the man from whom he has received the gift, and the honour conferred on him; and thus the matter is brought to this issue, that the god who is exalted by human honours is the inferior, while, on the other hand, the man who increases the power of a deity is his superior.

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “in higher places.”
* ↑ Lit., “what eminences is it found to be added,” addier. So Hild. and Oehler for the reading of ms., first four edd., and Oberthür addere—“to add,” emended in rest from margin of Ursinus accedere, much as above.
* ↑ So the ms., reading conjectionibus, which is retained in no edd., although its primary meaning is exactly what the sense here requires.
* ↑ The last clause was omitted in first four edd. and Elmh., and was inserted from the ms. by Meursius.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter XIX

19. But you err, says my opponent, and fall into mistakes; for in sacrificing female victims to the female deities, males to the male deities, there is a hidden and very secret reason, and one beyond the reach of the mass. I do not inquire, I do not demand, what the sacrificial laws teach or contain; but if reason has demonstrated, and truth declared, that among the gods there is no difference of species, and that they are not distinguished by any sexes, must not all these reasonings be set at nought, and be proved, be found to have been believed under the most foolish hallucinations? I will not bring forward the opinions of wise men, who cannot restrain their laughter when they hear distinctions of sex attributed to the immortal gods: I ask of each man whether he himself believes in his own mind, and persuades himself that the race of the gods is so distinguished that they are male and female, and have been formed with members arranged suitably for the begetting of young?
But if the laws of the sacrifices enjoin that like sexes should be sacrificed to like, that is, female victims to the female gods, male victims, on the contrary, to the male gods, what relation is there in the colours, so that it is right and fitting that to these white, to those dark, even the blackest victims are slain? Because, says my opponent, to the gods above, and those who have power to give favourable omens, the cheerful colour is acceptable and propitious from the pleasant appearance of pure white; while, on the contrary, to the sinister deities, and those who inhabit the infernal seats, a dusky colour is more pleasing, and one tinged with gloomy hues. But if, again, the reasoning holds good, that the infernal regions are an utterly vain and empty name, and that underneath the earth there are no Plutonian realms and abodes, this, too, must nullify your ideas about black cattle and gods under the ground. Because, if there are no infernal regions, of necessity there are no dii Manium also. For how is it possible that, while there are no regions, there should be said to be any who inhabit them?

## Footnotes

* ↑ Lit., “more.”
* ↑ So the ms., Elm., LB., Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, reading vicerit, for which the others read jusserit—“has bidden.”
* ↑ Lit., “prevailing with favourableness of omens,” ominum, for which the ms. and first four edd. read h-—“of men.”
* ↑ That Arnobius had good reason to appeal to this scepticism as a fact, is evident from the lines of Juvenal (ii. 149–152): “Not even children believe that there are any Manes and subterranean realms.”
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Arnobius/Adversus Gentes/Book VII/Chapter XL

40. But neither shall we deny that we know this as well, that once on a time, when the state and republic were in difficulties, caused either by a terrible plague continually infecting the people and carrying them off, or by enemies powerful, and at that time almost threatening to rob it of its liberty because of their success in battle,—by order and advice of the seers, certain gods were summoned from among nations dwelling beyond the sea, and honoured with magnificent temples; and that the violence of the plague abated, and very frequent triumphs were gained, the power of the enemy being broken, and the territory of the empire was increased, and provinces without number fell under your sway. But neither does this escape our knowledge, that we have seen it asserted that, when the Capitol was struck by a thunderbolt, and many other things in it, the image of Jupiter also, which stood on a lofty pillar, was hurled from its place. Thereafter a response was given by the soothsayers, that cruel and very sad mischances were portended from fire and slaughter, from the destruction of the laws, and the overthrow of justice, especially, however, from enemies themselves belonging to the nation, and from an impious band of conspirators; but that these things could not be averted, nay, that the accursed designs could not be revealed, unless Jupiter were again set up firmly on a higher pillar, turned towards the east, and facing the rays of the rising sun. Their words were trustworthy, for, when the pillar was raised, and the statue turned towards the sun, the secrets were revealed, and the offences made known were punished.

## Footnotes

* ↑ 37 in Orelli.
* ↑ Lit., “which either a…made,” etc.
* ↑ Lit., “very near to danger of carrying off liberty.”
* ↑ Cf. ii. 73.
# Apple-Blossom

* "Apple-Blossom" in The Ascent of Man (1889)
* "Apple-Blossom" in Poetical works of Mathilde Blind (1900)
# Appleby v. City of Buffalo

* related portals: Supreme Court of the United States.
* sister projects: Wikidata item.
United States Supreme Court
221 U.S. 524
Appleby v. City of Buffalo
Argued: April 26 and 27, 1911. --- Decided: May 29, 1911
Messrs. O. O. Cottle and Edmund P. Cottle for plaintiff in error.
Messrs. Clark H. Hammond and George E. Pierce for defendant in error.
Mr. Justice Day delivered the opinion of the court:

## Notes

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
# Apple-Gathering

* "Apple-Gathering" in The Ascent of Man (1889)
* "Apple-Gathering" in Poetical works of Mathilde Blind (1900)