Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-07
EccentrIclty OF Genius.

1
| VIvIER, the celebrated horn-player, Ii
one of those men of whom anecdotes are
told-an eccentric master upon having
his own way, and his own way being
whimsically peculiar
In England he made great sensation
with his first concert, and invitations to
play at private parties were necessary
sequence. On the day after, accordingly
anoble lord called upon the artist, and
giving pull to his oravat in the English
fashion OF salute, he said, with his hat on,
in bad French -" You must come to.mor.
row evening, and play for the Duchess Of
| Sutherland"
Vivier looked steadily at the nobleman,
and said, with significant gesture-"Take
off your hatr'
"What ?" asked the visitor.
Take off your hatp
"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 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 Sutherlandp
"You speak French very badly" re.
| piled the artist. "Instead of that impo-
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 win do her
the pleasure of coming to the party,
whicn she proposes to give tomorrow
EVENING" ..- ear
"AhT but in England we express 1t the
other way"
every possibly-but unless you express
It in the better way have described to
you, l shall take no notice of the invita-
ton"
The Englishman, evidently very angry,
repeated the invitation as directed.
"I 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" .--~,
GAhl but in England we only give ten
pounds to an instrumental To singers,
like Grisi or Mario, we give fitteen."'
81 shall not play for anything less than
twenty-five pounds sterling"
"Do you know" said the Englishman,
knitting his brow, "thst twenty !. five
pounds are six hundred and thirty.fve
francs of your moneyPpG-.- FIf e
"Ny price, Notwithstanding.
"Well, you shall have it. But do your
best and be punctusl."
"I shsll be ready when the Duchess
carriage calls for me-" replied Vivier.
"Eht do you expect a carriage to be
sent for your 1t is not the custom in
England"
81 am very sorry-but do not ride in
hackney coaches, and if Madame, the
Duchess, does not choose to send her own
carriage for me, shall not go!"
"Very WELL" said the Englishman,
looking perfectly amazed, but submitting,
in spite of himself, to the tone of author.
ity and dignified manners which the ar
tist 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 received
with very unusual. politeness-a result,
evidently, of the description of his man
ners given by Her Grace's envoy. From
that time the vogue of the eccentric horn
player became triumphant.