Donizetti, Gaetano. Autograph letter signed, 3 pages, in Italian, (9 ? x 8 ? in.; 251 x 206 mm.), [no place, no date], to the...

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Donizetti, Gaetano. Autograph letter signed, 3 pages, in Italian, (9 ? x 8 ? in.; 251 x 206 mm.), [no place, no date], to the music publisher Pacini, in Paris; light browning and spotting. Donizetti discusses the trials and tribulations of training young composers and students researching manuscripts. Donizetti writes, in part; translated from Italian: Have you seen M. de Couriz? Have you asked him if he has had my letters yet? If you haven't done so, may I beg you to see him about this, and write to me from his place, at least so that I get a line from you telling me whether or not he has received them. Most important of all, have you had my letter asking about his through the post yet? I will tell Mr. Cherubini once more that however much I search Rome and Naples, they are unlikely to come up with the Palestrina originals; and if this does not let him up in the Sistine Chapel, I will begin to despair of carrying out his wishes. I am not asking to do so, however, and who knows, one day this may be possible. Do me the favor of giving it to Master Farole, and allow me to send you on a walk as far as the Madeleine, or if not, put it in the local post. Greet M. Bordese from me, and ask him to pay my respects to the Thayer household, and not to forget this, even though Mr. Theodore has not written. Does your good and clever son still write? Greet him; God only knows when we shall meet. Oh! Patience! Don't forget the many things you must tell all my acquaintances. Tell my friend and lawyer that he must write to me. And give my best wishes to your wife, your sons and your present and future daughters. In a lengthy postscript he adds; We have here an influx of French gentlemen who study and do research on manuscripts. Among them is a M. Briance, a great friend of Ivanoff, who on account of studying and falling off a horse has smashed his feet and wrenched his knee, his nose etc. etc. Through studying music he already wants to start composing, before going in for the theater. He began by studying three times a day, then twice and eventually only once. Finally he gave up altogether and went on the stage, and it is a pity that he didn't pursue this with his original enthusiasm, as he might have made something of it. Barbara was disgusted and was quite wrong to make sinister voices go from him. Perhaps he will be very honest; but it is easy to talk from here. M. Venose, the other Frenchman, is leaving for Milan, where he hopes to find manuscripts. Mme Bourgeois is still here. She doesn't seem to have studied music much, but is doing so with me and M. Vorzet, and both of them are researching manuscripts. Mlle. Bernard made her debut at St. Carlo with Mme Serimode; if she had been as docile as that with me, things would have gone much better. She is now promising to study with Gomano; she ought to have listened to people who know about the theater and not made a fool of herself, but there is still hope. A lengthy letter with wonderful content.