[38] ‘Earthly and Heavenly Love.’
[39] “Hommage à Handel.”
[40] This has been done. The monument is on the promenade, under the windows of Sebastian Bach’s rooms, in the Thomas School.
[41] It is characteristic of both, that Mendelssohn’s sister set the following poem of Goethe’s to music:—
“Here are we then, my friend, at home once more!
And tranquilly reclines the artist’s eye
On scenes of peace and love from door to door,
Where life to life in kindliness draws nigh.
“Back with our household gods, here are we then!
For though through distant regions we may roam,
From all these ravishments we turn again
Back to the magic sphere we call our home.”
[42] See the letter to Herr von Falkenstein, April 8th, 1840.
[43] By Sebastian Bach.
[44] His brother had gone to Leipzig, at the instigation of the Wirklich Geheimrath Herr von Massow, to negotiate with Mendelssohn the subject of a situation in Berlin. It was proposed to divide the Academy of Arts into four classes,—namely, painting, sculpture, architecture, and music,—and to appoint a director for each class, to whom the superintendence of the Academy should be entrusted alternately, and in fixed succession. The music class, for which Mendelssohn had been selected as Director, was to consist essentially of a large Conservatorium, in the expectation that in connection with the resources of the Royal Theatre, public concerts, partly of a sacred and partly of a secular nature, should be given. However promising Mendelssohn considered this project, he at once expressed considerable doubts, not so much that the plan could not be carried out, but that it would not be so; and the result proved how correct his judgment was on the point.
[45] The performance of “Athalie,” with Schulz’s music, had caused considerable excitement in the Berlin Theatre.