There was a murmur of surprise among the spectators. The monarch, after a pause, replied, with a gracious smile—
“You are a noble fellow, Tamburini, and your request shall be granted. Only to-night we must have you in Lucia di Lammermoor. We are told you are inimitable in that last adagio. And now, come nearer.”
The artist knelt at the monarch’s feet.
“Receive from our hands this medal di nostro Salvatore,”[13] and the emperor flung the chain around his neck. “Learn thus how much we love to do honor to genius.”
Thus loaded with distinction, the artist was presented to the Russian emperor, and received the compliments and congratulations of the nobility present. He was destined ere long to receive in other lands honors almost equal to those bestowed in his own; and to show how boundless and how absolute is the dominion Heaven has given the true artist over the human heart.
FOOTNOTES:
[13] Wellington was the only foreigner who had received this compliment previously to Tamburini.
BELLINI.
The hunting-castle of Moritzburg, in Saxony, a place noted as the locality of the tradition of the “Freischutzen,” is situated a few hours’ ride from Dresden. It was my custom to pass a week or two there in the harvesting season, with the worthy forester. He was always glad to see me, because I took pleasure in his pursuits; drew sketches of forest scenes, and composed hunting songs such as were sung in Saxony and Bohemia. There were jovial meetings, too, occasionally at the public house in the neighboring village of Eisenberg; where we had sometimes a dance with the merry country damsels, to the tunes played by the Bohemian fiddlers.
One afternoon in September of 1835, I was present at one of these gatherings, and had mingled freely in the sports. I was leading off my partner for a waltz, when the post-boy from Dresden came in, and distributed his letters among the guests. He recognized me at once, and coming forward with a “’Tis lucky, sir, I find you here,” handed me a letter.