Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-02-02
Humors of a Musical Genius.

Vivier, the celebrated horn player, is
one of those men of whom anecdotes are
told-an eccentric insister upon having
his own way, and his own way being
whimsically peculiar.
- In England he made a great sensa-
ton with his first concert, and invita-
tions to play at private parties we're a
necessary sequent. On the day after,
accordingly, noble lord called upon the
artist, and giving pull to his cravat in
the English fashion of salute, said,
with his hat on, in bad French:
' "You must come tomorrow evening
E; and play for the Duchess of Suther-
i land"
Vivier looked steadily at the noble
man and said, with a significant gesture:
"Take off your hat ''
10 "What?" asked the visitor.
''Take off Jour hat ~
Cabin England we have the Gus
tom of keeping our hats on"
"Take off your hat ~
Yielding to the pertinacity of these
four words, which the artist would have
gone on repeating thirty times if it had
been necessary, the nobleman took off
his hat, and said once more:
"You must come tomorrow evening
and play for the Duchess of Suther-
land"
"You speak French very badly said
the artist. "Instead of that impolite
phrase you should have said The
Duchess of Sutherland wishes very much
to hear you play, and she has requested
me to inquire whether you will do her
the pleasure of coming to the party
which she proposes to give tomorrow
evening"
"Ab, but in England we express it
the other way"
every possibly; but unless you ex-
press it in the better way | have des-
cribed to you, l shall take no notice of
the invitation"
The Englishman, evidently very an
cry, repeated the Invitation as directed.
81 am happy to accept the invitation
of the Duchess" said the artist.
"They will give ten pounds" added
the nobleman.
"There, again, is an ill-bred manner
of treating a delicate subject" said
Vivier. II should have made no bar
gain in advance, and should have left it
to the discretion of the Duchess; but,
since you have so unceremoniously over
stepped the barrier, permit me to say
that ten pounds is not enough
"Ah, but in England we only give
ten pounds to an instrumentist To
singers, like Grisi or Mario, we give
fifteen"
81 shall not play for auy price less
than twenty-five pounds sterling"
"Do you know said the English
man, knitting his hrows, "twenty five
pounds are 635 francs of your money!
"My price, notwithstanding"
"Well, you shall have it, but do your
best, and be punctual D."
"I shall be ready when the Duchess
carriage calls for me-" replied Vivier
"Eh! Do you expect carriage to be
sent Tor you! 1t is not the custom IN
England"
81 am very sorry-but I do not ride
in hackney coaches; and if Madam the
Duchess does not choose to send hel
own carriage for me shall not 60"
every well, said the Englishman
looking perfectly amazed, but submit
ting, in spite of himself to the tone nj
authority and dignifed manners which
the artist assumed "the carriage shall
be sent for you
At nine the next evening, punctually
drove up the Duchess chariot, with Its
footman in livery, and VivIer was re-
ceived with very unusual politeness-a
result, evidently, of the description Of
his manners given by her Grace's envoy.
From that time the vogue of the eccen-
trio horn-blower became triumphant.