The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-10-06
Eccentrlcity Of Genius.

VIvIRR, the celebrated horn-player, is
| one OF those men or whom anecdotes axe
told-aa eccentric insister upon having
his own way, ard his own way being
whimsically peculiar.
In England he made great sensation
| with his first concert, and invitations to
plsy at private parties were a necessary
| sequence. On tie day after, according ly,
noble lord called upon the artist, and
giving pull to bis cravat in the English
fashion OF salute, he said, with his hat on,
in bad French -" You must come to NOR
row evening. and plsy for the Duchess OF
Sutherland"
Vivier looked steadily at the nobleman,
and said, with 81 gnifcant gesture-"Take
off your hat"
"What?" asked the visitor.
"Take off your hat!'
"Ah! in England we have the custom
Of keeping our hats on"
"Take off your hat!"
Yielding to the pertinacity of these
three words, which the artist would have
gone On repeating thirty tiaes if it hsd
been necessary, the nobleman took off his
hat and said once more" You must come
tomorrow evening, and play for the
Duchess Of Sutherland"
"You speak French very badly" re.
piled the artist. Instead of that inpo-
lite 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""
"Ah! but in England we express it the
other way"
"Very possibly-but unless you express
it in the better way | have described to
you, I shall take no notice Of the invita-
ton"
The Englishman, evidently very angry,
repeated the invitation IS directed.
~ am happy to accept the invitation of
the Duchess" said the artist.
"They will give ten pounds" added the
nobleman.
There, again, is an i'll bred manner of
treating delicate subject" said Vivier;
81 should have made no bargain IN ad-
vance, and should have left it to the dis
cretion of the Duchess; but, since you
have so unceremoniously Oversteppcd the
barrier, permit me to say that ten pounds
is not enough"
"Ah! but in England we only give ten
pounds TO an instrumental. To singers,
like Grisi or Mario, we give fifteen"
81 shall not play for anything less than
twenty five pounds sterling"
"Do you know" said the Englishmau,
knitting his brow, "that twenty-five
pounds are six hundred and thirty-fiVe
francs of your money!"
Ny price, Notwithstanding"
"Well, you shall have it. But do your
beat and be punctusl"
81 shall be ready when the Duchess
carriage calls for me-" replied Viyier.
"Eh? do you expect carriage to be
sent for you? 1t ID not tie custom in
England"
81 am very sorry-but l do not ride in
hackney coaches, ard if Madame, the
Duchess, does not choose to send her own
carriage for me, shall not gol"
Every WELL" said the Eng]ishman,
looking perfectly amazed, utsubmitting,
IN spite of himself, to the tone OF author
ity and dienified manners which the ar
list assumed; "the carriage shall be cent
ioi yo uine the next evening, punctually,
,.,1 o. MP up The Duchess chariot with its
footman in livery, and Vivier was received
with very unusual politeness--a result,
evidently, of the description of his man.
ners given by Her Grsce's envoy. From
that time the vogue of the eccentric horn
PLAYER became triumphant.