The note upon the next page accompanied a certain Fugue which Mendelssohn had copied out for Moscheles; he is supposed to hold the pen for some of the inmates of the Zoölogical Gardens, which he and Moscheles had visited in the afternoon.
On one occasion he sent the humorous invitation we reproduce.[21] On another occasion he insisted on having a regular card of invitation, which he filled in as given in our illustration.[22]
Notwithstanding the numerous calls upon his time, Mendelssohn found leisure to make a pianoforte duet arrangement of Moscheles’s Septet. Speaking of this in a subsequent letter, Moscheles says: “I have recopied your arrangement of my Septet, and treated several passages more freely than you, with your usual discretion, had done; at the same time I have taken your hint, and added twelve new bars in the first part and altered two towards the end.”
Of the many notes that passed between Great Portland Street and Chester Place, we transcribe a few.
[Illustration: 9. Fac-simile of Note from the Zoölogical Gardens. (See page 70.)]
I trust you are quite well, even better than you were last night. My father is well, and I have slept nine hours and am tired.
My father requests you to let him come to-day or to-morrow morning, to arrange when he may go out with you, according to your kind promise and Stone’s prescription (to walk). This note is business-like; you must give me a verbal answer to Book I.
103 GREAT PORTLAND STREET, June 20, 1833.
DEAR MRS. MOSCHELES,--I am very sorry I could not be with you yesterday evening, all the more as I am sure you again thought you had read in my face that I had made up my mind not to go. This time it was not so, however; but the check-taker would on no account let me pass without a ticket. I gave your name; he could not fetch you. I beckoned and called, and as I could not catch your eye, I waited and thought you might pass in my direction; but the cruel Cerberus in livery intimated to me that I had better retire to Portland Street, and that is what I did....
Here is my verbal answer--Oh dear! how unlucky, we can’t come! You see, we are giving a dinner ourselves to-day. I have just ordered fish and lobster for five,--that is, salmon,--and so I must present our regrets.