e
very next day he proposed that Paganini and himself should play together
at the same concert. "I excused myself," said Paganini, "alleging that
such experiments were impolitic, as the public invariably looked upon
these matters as duels, in which there must be a victim, and that it
would be so in this case; for, as he was acknowledged to be the best of
the French violinists, so the public indulgently considered me to be
the best player in Italy. Lafont not looking at it in this light, I was
obliged to accept the challenge. I allowed him to arrange the programme.
We each played a concerto of our own composition, after which we played
together a duo concertante by Kreutzer. In this I did not deviate in the
least from the composer's text while we played together, but in the solo
parts I yielded freely to my own imagination, and introduced several
novelties, which seemed to annoy my adversary. Then followed a 'Russian
Air,' with variations, by Lafont, and I finished the concert with my
variations called 'Le Streghe.' Lafont probably surpassed me in tone;
but the applause which followed my efforts convinced me that I did not
suffer by comparison." There seems to be no question that the victory
remained with Paganini. A few years later Paganini played in a similar
contest with the Polish violinist Lipinski, at Placentia. The two
artists, however, were intimate friends, and there was not a spark
of rivalry or jealousy in their generous emulation. In fact,
Paganini appears to have been utterly without that conceit in his own
extraordinary powers which is so common in musical artists. Heine gives
an amusing illustration of this. He writes: "Once, after listening to a
concert by Paganini, as I was addressing him with the most impassioned
eulogies on his violin-playing, he interrupted me with the words, 'But
how were you pleased to-day with my compliments and reverences?'" The
musician thought more of his genuflexions than of his musical talent.

IV.

In the year 1817 Rossini, Meyerbeer, and Paganini were at Rome during
Carnival time, and the trio determined on a grand frolic. Rossini had
composed a very clever part-song, "Carnavale, Carnavale," known in
English as "We are Poor Beggars," and the three great musicians, having
disguised themselves as beggars, sang it with great effect through the
streets. Rossini during this Carnival produced his "Cenerentola," and
Paganini gave a series of concerts which excited great enthusia