I have just given my eleventh and last concert here, and although
nobody remembers so successful a concert in Prague, and all ask me
to give one more, as many persons could not obtain seats for this,
I am compelled to leave in order to reach Russia in due time. I
played a new composition, “Grüss aus des Ferne.” It was finished
only at half–past seven on the morning of the concert. It was a
success.... My warmest greetings to Prof. Dahl.[11]
[11] An eminent Norwegian painter, who was professor at the Royal
Academy in Dresden. He was a warm personal friend of Ole Bull.
From Prague Ole Bull went via Breslau to Warsaw, where he played the
“Polacca Guerriera.” The youth of the city requested its repetition, but
many told him that it only revived in the Poles the memory of their lost
liberty, and he did not play it again.
From Wilna he went to St. Petersburg, where a serious illness prostrated
him. He writes from there May 4, 1841:—
You ask me to give you a detailed account of what you call my
triumphs. On the road from Wilna to St. Petersburg my carriage
broke down three times; the mud went over the wheels, and eight
horses had the greatest difficulty in drawing it out and onward.
There was no end of trouble at each station to get horses,
although I had a _podoroshna_, or authorization from the
government.... Thursday evening I played at the residence of the
Countess Rossi (the celebrated Sontag), and you will like to know
that I played well. I leave at once for Moscow....