ved a note from Paganini enclosing twenty
thousand francs, to be devoted to three years of repose, study, liberty,
and happiness.

In Sir Charles Halle's biography, however, this story receives important
modifications. It appears that Armand Bertin, the wealthy proprietor of
the _Journal des Debates_, had a high regard for Berlioz, who was on his
staff, and knew of his struggles, which he was anxious to lighten. He
resolved, therefore, to make him a present of twenty thousand francs,
and to enhance the moral effect of this gift he persuaded Paganini to
appear as the donor of the money. What would have appeared as a simple
gratuity from a rich and powerful editor toward one of his staff, became
a significant tribute from one genius to another. The secret was well
kept and was never divulged to Berlioz. It was known only to two of
Bertin's friends, and Halle learned it about seven years later, when he
had become an intimate friend of Madame Bertin, and she had been for
years one of his best pupils.

Paganini created the difficulties which he performed. He had a style of
his own, and was most successful in playing his own compositions. In
Paris, when, out of respect to the Parisians, he played a concerto by
Rode, and one by Kreutzer, he scarcely rose above mediocrity, and he was
well aware of his failure. He adopted the ideas of his predecessors,
resuscitated forgotten effects and added to them, and the chief features
of his performance were, the diversity of tones produced, the different
methods of tuning his instrument, the frequent employment of double and
single harmonics, the simultaneous use of pizzicato and bow passages,
the use of double and triple notes, the various staccati, and a
wonderful facility for executing wide intervals with unerring accuracy,
together with a great variety of styles of bowing. The quality of tone
which he produced was clear and pure, but not excessively full, and,
according to Fetis, he was a master of technique and phrasing rather
than a pathetic player,--there was no tenderness in his accents.

It is said that Baillot used to hide his face when Paganini played a
pizzicato with the left hand, harmonics, or a passage in staccato.
Dancla, in his recollections, says: "I had noticed in Paganini his
large, dry hand, of an astonishing elasticity; his fingers long and
pointed, which enabled him to make enormous stretches, and double and
triple extensions, with the utmost facility. The double