Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix, Ignaz Moscheles and Henry Chorley.

a lively and humorous letter, recounting the trio's adventures by sea and on land at the start of their journey to Leipzig; in the first part of the letter Moscheles recounts a disagreeable exchange with an official in the post yard, regrets that he was not able to bid her farewell properly, describes the heavy see ("sehr bewegt ohne eigentlichen Sturm") and how Mendelssohn was the first to retire to their cabin, followed by Chorley, who threw himself on the floor, describes their uneventful passage through customs and notes that they intend to continue their journey the next morning at seven o'clock by railway; Chorley, in his section of the letter, describes the fourth passenger in the coach during the night ride, a man with a very red nose, and recounts the travellers' speculations as to his profession; in his portion of the letter Mendelssohn provides an exquisite drawing, in pen and ink, of the pitching steamer which carried the trio across a choppy Channel, the humorous message of which is underscored by accompanying quotations from Goethe's Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre ("Do not ask me to speak - ask me to be silent [trans.]"), Schiller's Wallensteins Tod ("There exist moments in the life of man [/ When he is nearer the great Soul of the world] [trans.]") and Byron's Don Juan ("Here the ship gave a lurch, and he grew seasick"), and to close, writes that all three travellers are sitting comfortably round the fire in Moscheles's room and thinking of her; in a postscript following Mendelssohn's contribution Moscheles recounts his humorous plan to beat to death the sleeping fellow traveller during their night coach journey, and concludes by suggesting that his wife relate the story of their crossing to Klingemann 



...Heiß mich nicht reden, heiß mich schweigen. Goethe
   Es giebt im Menschenleben Augenblicke Schiller
   Here the ship gave a lurch, and he grew seasick Byron.
Wir sitzen aber alle 3 sehr comfortabel um das Feuer in Moscheles' Zimmer, und gedenken Ihrer...



3 pages in all [Moscheles: pp.1-3; Chorley: p.2; Mendelssohn: p.3], 4to (25.3 x 20.5cm), autograph address panel by Moscheles ("...Mrs Moscheles London 3 Chester Place Regents Park"), Ostend, Saturday, six o'clock in the evening, 3 October 1840, traces of mount, small seal tear, a few tiny holes, light dust-staining to address panel

Felix Moscheles, trans. and ed., Letters of Felix Mendelssohn to Ignaz and Charlotte Moscheles (London, no date), p. 210

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This fine letter, which unites Mendelssohn and his two friends Ignaz Moscheles and the critic Henry Chorley, has never been offered at auction before, having passed by descent to the present owner from Ignaz Moscheles's wife Charlotte (1805-1889). 

In an album-leaf dated 2 October 1840, the day before the present letter (see lot 306), Mendelssohn had drawn the three intrepid travellers' luggage ready for the morning departure: this letter continues that story in vivid descriptive detail, from an unpleasant scene in the coaching yard at the start of their journey, to the heaving sea of the Channel crossing, to the comfortable evening scene in Moscheles's hotel room, the most dramatic part of the journey being illustrated with Mendelssohn's delightful drawing of the sea-tossed Channel steamer.