"And besides all this you will find here and there little deviations from your words, where I have been forced into them by my alterations; and therefore I beg you will look over the whole, that nothing might be in it of which you did not approve.
"I owe you still many thanks for several very, very kind letters, and indeed would have written long ago had it not been for a sea of tedious and complicated businesses with which they overload me here. I could not avail myself of the whole of the amplification which you proposed for the Widow's part, although I adopted several of your quotations in that passage; but I was not able to give it the extent you proposed; for although I very often feel the urgent necessity of altering the details (of which you now see so many instances), I can but very seldom bring myself to a deviation from the whole original plan; and I even make those alterations almost everywhere in order to keep more faithfully to the object I had first in view. And on that account I could not make the whole of this passage more prominent, although I always wish to do as you advise.
"Of course 'commandments' must be left in the soprano song, instead of 'commands,' if you do not approve of the latter. Do you like my way of getting rid of 'to slay, to slay my son?'[57]
"And many, many thanks for the trouble you have taken with the 'Sons of Art.' I am afraid the thing is only fit for a German musical men-festival, and that it is impossible to give it any effect in another language and at other occasions; but whatever can be done with it has indeed been done by you. And so I end as I began with thanks and thanks.
"Very truly yours,
"Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy."
"Leipzig, January 20, 1847.
"My dear Mr. Bartholomew,—A happy new year to you (although it is rather old already), and many, many thanks for your kind and precious letter! Indeed, nobody could have written it but you, and nobody could have taken so much trouble with my choruses to the 'Athalie' but you, and to nobody could I feel so sincerely and heartily indebted but to you. Have many, many thanks, my dear Sir, and be sure that you confer all these obligations to one who knows how to value them, and who will always remain thankful to you!...
"The second part of 'Elijah' will in very short time be in Mr. Buxton's [Ewer & Co.] hands. And now, my dear Sir, let me repeat to you my heartfelt thanks for all you did again for me when they performed the 'Athalie' choruses,[58] and for your interesting report of all the proceedings before and during that performance, and for all the kindness and friendship which you always show me.
"Always very truly and sincerely yours,