Amongst the amusing episodes in the life of Spohr was one which took
place in London, when a servant brought him a letter desiring M. Spohr
to "be present at four o'clock to-morrow evening at the closet of the
undersigned," Spohr had not the faintest idea as to the identity of "the
undersigned," nor the least inkling of that gentleman's design. He
therefore replied that he had an engagement at that time. To this note
he received another polite epistle asking him to be good enough to
honour the "undersigned" with an interview, and to choose his own time.
He therefore made an appointment, which he kept punctually, and on
arriving at the house to which he was directed, he found an old
gentleman, who was very genial, but who could speak neither French nor
German. As Spohr spoke no English the communication between them was of
necessity carried on by pantomime. The old gentleman led the way into a
room, the walls of which were literally covered with violins, from which
Spohr gathered the idea that he was to pick out that which he considered
the best. After trying them all he had to decide between the merits of
half a dozen, and, when he finally gave his opinion, the gentleman
seemed delighted, and offered him a five pound note to compensate him
for his trouble. This the violinist declined to accept, for he had found
as much enjoyment as his host, and considered it a privilege to be able
to examine such a fine collection of beautiful instruments. The
gentleman found a way of satisfying his ideas of compensation by buying
tickets to the value of ten pounds, for one of Spohr's concerts.

Among the most talented violinists of the early part of the nineteenth
century was Karl Joseph Lipinski, the son of a Polish violin player
whose gifts were uncultivated. He was born in Poland, in 1790, at a
small town named Radzyn. After learning, with the aid of his father, to
play the violin, he took up the 'cello, and taught himself to play that