Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-03

not be forceful, as in France, but that
1t will be thing natural and without re-
sultant controversy. The great event
took place here last year. as some thing
logical and to be expected, and the d.
vision of church and state will come
about in the same way. Concerning your
fear that l might possibly write coro-
nation cantata, / was compelled to smile
No. and again no! would never do such
thing. and refused the request on this
occasion most decisively, A few years
ag, similar invitation was extended to
me from England-to write coronation
march for the English king-and also
refused absolutely.
'"Where poetry is concerned the mat
ter appeals to me differently. 1t was
sympathetic undertaking for me to COM
pose 'Sigurd Jorsalfar.' as you could
have realized had you been at it's festal
performance last autumn in the Norwe-
gian national theater. Coronation of
King Haakon VII IN Christianiao You
would have been glad to see how espe-
cialy we'll the work is adapted for ma
tional fete days.
Regarding the various forms Of gov
ernment. one can quarrel as long as the
world will exist. I am convinced how
ever, that If you (even if you are. like
myself. republican, could see things
at closer range here and judge accord
ingly, you would admit that the Norwe-
gian king is king on paper only.
:" Regar ding the conduct of the
powers, it is an oren secret here that
Sweden would like nothing better than to
attack u.s. but that Germany (and es-
pecially England) spoke very serious
word to prevent war. | emphasize Eng
lands Importance, because that country
was particularly anxious to have one of
its princesses figure as Norwegian queen.
- Our present king comes from
mentally and bodily healthy dynasty.
Added to that, he has grown up as SIM
pie seaman and possesses all the SINGER
ity and unspoiledness which make him
seem particularly suitable for our condi-
tions and for US. y
I'm London, just before I had to con-
duct a concert, 1 received the news of
Ibsen's death. 1 cannot say that / was
deeply shocked at the moment. because
l had considered him dead years ago. and
we expected daily to hear of his final
passing. However, as the days go on, L
feel more and more intensely the empti-
ness left by the withdrawal Of his great
personality, -" 1t is long ago that
/ wrote the Peer Gynt' music and the
Ibsen songs-so long ago, in fact, that
when ] play or conduct them they seem
not to have been written by me. I want
ed to develop more fully, and have done
so, inasmuch as L conceive and feel diff
ferently now. How 1 would have loved
to express in tones my mental evolution
of today! Bodily ills proved to be in
surmountable Obstacles however. Our
peasant poet Vinje says in his wondrous
work, Spring:
More 1 received than / deserved,
And everything must end!
HOSPITAL IN BERGEN August 2s.
1907.- . / was, and am, sick; so
sick with insomnia and shortness of
breath that / was compelled to come here
a few days ago. On that account my pen
and ink have rested l have much to
write you, but my strength will not per-
init. In order to express to you my
Views an religious questions l need better
health than l have at present And yet
"a few words will suffice to say much) /
was deeply impressed on the occasion of
visit to England in 1888 with the Uni
tartan views. and in the seventeen years
that have elapsed since have not
moved beyond them-the belief in God
alone and the rejection of the belief in a
trinity of Gods and in Father and Son
of equal divinity. Everything that was
later presented to me in rhapsodical form
no longer made any impression. Pure
scieuce'. II 10 e&ceileHt dS d means u an
end; as an end in itself. however. it is
at least to me--thoroughly unsatisfactory.
My conception of God I must retain, al
though it often comes into collision with
my conception of prayer.
81
A most perplexing question has just
been answered by the Los Angeles
public concerning the place in which
Madame Emma Calve is to sing on
Tu sday evening. December II.
The answer is that magnificent homo
of the Shriners on Jefferson street near
Figueroa, known as the new Shrine
temple. The reason for taking this