d and delicious
sensuousness of one of the most accomplished women of her time, who to
every womanly fascination added the rarest mental gifts and high social
place.

The mutual passion soon culminated in a tie which lasted for many years,
and was perhaps as faithfully observed by both parties as could be
expected of such an irregular connection. Three children were the
offspring of this attachment, a son who died, and two daughters, one of
whom became the wife of M. Ollivier, the last imperial prime minister of
France, and the other successively Mme. Von Bulow and Mme. Wagner, under
which latter title she is still known. The _chroniques scandaleuses_
of Paris and other great cities of Europe are full of racy scandals
purporting to connect the name of Liszt with well-known charming and
beautiful women, but, aside from the uncertainty which goes with such
rumors, this is not a feature of Liszt's life on which it is our purpose
to dilate. The errors of such a man, exposed by his temperament and
surroundings to the fiercest breath of temptation, should be rather
veiled than opened to the garish day. Of the connection with Mme.
D'Agoult something has been briefly told, because it had an important
influence on his art career. Though the Church had never sanctioned the
tie, there is every reason to believe that the lady's power over Liszt
was consistently used to restrain his naturally eccentric bias, and to
keep his thoughts fixed on the loftiest art ideals.

III.

Soon after Liszt's connection with Mme. D'Agoult began, he retired with
his devoted companion to Geneva, Switzerland, a city always celebrated
in the annals of European literature and art. In the quiet and charming
atmosphere of this city our artist spent two years, busy for the most
part in composing. He had already attained a superb rank as a pianist,
and of those virtuosos who had then exhibited their talents in Paris
no one was considered at all worthy to be compared with Liszt except
Chopin. Aside from the great mental grasp, the opulent imagination, the
fire and passion, the dazzling technical skill of the player, there was
a vivid personality in Liszt as a man which captivated audiences. This
element dominated his slightest action. He strode over the concert
stage with the haughty step of a despot who ruled with a sway not to be
contested. Tearing his gloves from his fingers and hurling them on
the piano, he would seat himself with a proud gesture, run