The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-10-28
Eccentricities of Genius.

Vlvier, the celebrated horn player,
is one Of those men of whom an
ecdotes are told-an eccentric insis-
ter upon having his own way, and
his own way being whimsically pc
culiar.
In England he made great SEN
sation with his first concert, and in
vitaions to play at private parties
were a necessary sequent. On the
day after, accordingly, a noble lord
called upon the artist, and giving
pull to his cravat in the English fash
ion of salute, he said in his bad
French: "You must come to-mor-
row evening,and play for the Duchess
of Sutherland
Vivier looked steadily at the noble
man, and said, with a significant
gesture: "Take off your hatp
"What?" asked the visitor.
"Take off your hatp'
"Ah! in England we have the Gus
tom of keeping our hats on"
"Take off your hatr'
Yielding to the pertinacity of these
three words, which the artist would
have gone on repeating thirty times
if it had been necessary, the noble
man took off his hat, and said once
more; "You must come to-morro Y
evening, and play for the Duchess
of Sutherlandp
SYou speak French very badly"
replied the artist. Instead of that
impolite phrase, you should have
said. "The Duchess wishes very
much to hear yon, and she has re-
quested me to inquire whether you
will do her the pleasure ofcoming to
the party which she proposes to give
tomorrow evening"
"Ah! but in England we express
it the other way"
every possibly-but unless you
express in the better way 1 have des-
cribed to you, I shall take no notice
Of the invitation"
The Englishman, evidently very
angry, repeated the invitation as
directed.
81 am happy to accept the invia-
ton of the Duchess" said the artist.
"They will give ten pounds" added
the nobleman.
"There, again, is an i'll bred man
ner of treating the subject" said
Viver; 81 should have made no
bargain in advance, and should have
left it to the discretion ofthe Duchess
but since you have so unceremonious
ly overstopped the barrier, permit
me to say that ten pounds is not
enough
"Ah! but in England we only give
ten pounds to an instrumentalist. To
singers, like Grisi OF Mario, we give
fifteen"
81 shall not play for any price less
than twenty-five pounds sterling"
"Do you know" said the English
man, knitting his brow, twenty-five
pounds are six hundred and thirty
five francs Of your money!
"My price, Notwithstanding"
swell, you shall have 1t. But do
your best, and be punctual."
81 shall be ready when the
Duchess carriage calls for me"
"Eh? do you expect carriage to
be sent for you2 It's not the Gus
tom here in England"
81 am very sorry-but 1 do not
ride in hackney coaches, and if
madam, the duchess, does not choose
to send her own carriage for me, 1
shall not go"
"Very welr' said the Englishman.
looking perfectly amazed, but sub
mitting, in spite OF himself, to the
tone authority and the very dignifi
ed manners which the artist assum-
ed; "the carriage shall be sent. for
your
At nine the next exening, punctual-
lv drove up the duchess chariot
with its footman in livery, and Vivier
was received with very unusual pol
iteness-a result, evidently of the
description of his manners given by
her grace's envoy. From that time
the vogue of the eccentric horn
PLAYER became triumphant.