Letter from Frances Mary Blackett du Quaire, London, to Baroness Marie Blaze de Bury, 1853 : autograph manuscript signed with initials.

Describing, in humorous terms, the effects of Madame Blaze de Bury's last letter to her, her revived longing to return to Paris, her renewed sadness at having to leave, and the dullness of her social prospects at home in London; urging her to visit London ("it is not altogether a bad place - I have lots of parties - mostly political ones"), mentioning that she recently sat next to William Grey while at a dinner and took the opportunity to speak her mind to him regarding (Lajos) Kossuth ("surely never was anything so disgraceful as the shuffling attempt to fasten upon him a charge wh. was known to be nothing more or less than a downright invention on the part of the Times - Nothing in Ld. Palmerston's career ever lowered him so much in the opinion of honest men of both parties as this evident playing into the hands of Austria."); describing a visit from (Ernst) Haberbier during which he "staid a long while and played an immensity", and admitting that his playing "scarcely comes up to what I had expected ... his talents as a composer impress me far more than his power as an executant"; providing further observations, both positive and negative, on his skills as a musician, considering his failed debut in London at Ella's (i.e. John Ella's "Musical Union" concert series), and concluding that "he is dependent upon a sympathetique rapport with his audience - the people at Ella's chilled him - he could not play to them ... the people I have spoken to abt. him are divided in opinion - those who know nothing of music ... complain of his scratching at the piano - say he lifts his hands too high (!!!) and that he does by a trick what others do by dint of practice.", while those who "more or less musicians say - yes- that is in measure true but there is behind all that the real stuff - the unmistakable genius"; saying that she is to see him tomorrow at Mrs. (Harriet) Grote's, Mrs Grote being "heart & soul his friend" and convinced that "he failed at Ella's" because "it was at Ella's - everybody hates Ella to that degree that it is enough to do an artist to make his debut there"; discussing mutual friends and acquaintances Mrs. Molesworth and Miss Gabriel; asking Madame Blaze de Bury to arrange to send on some books which were left behind when she departed Paris; commenting on the poetry of Alexander Smith and saying that she will send her a volume of his verse; praising the music of Vivier.