1859 he has lived at Weimar, Pesth, and Rome, always
the center of a circle of pupils and admirers, and, though no longer
occupying an active place in the world, full of unselfish devotion to
the true interests of music and musicians. In 1868 he took minor orders
in the Roman priesthood. Since his early youth Liszt had been the
subject of strong paroxysms of religious feeling, which more than once
had nearly carried him into monastic life, and thus his brilliant career
would have been lost to the world and to art. After he had gained every
reward that can be lavished on genius, and tasted to the very dregs
the wine of human happiness, so far as that can come of a splendid
prosperity and the adoration of the musical world for nearly half a
century, a sudden revulsion seems to have recalled again to the surface
that profound religious passion which the glory and pleasure of his busy
life had never entirely suppressed. It was by no means astonishing to
those who knew Liszt's life best that he should have taken holy orders.

Abbe Liszt lives a portion of each year with the Prince-Cardinal
Hohenlohe, in the well-known Villa d'Este, near Rome, a chateau with
whose history much romance is interwoven. He is said to be very zealous
in his religious devotions, and to spend much time in reading and
composing. He rarely touches the piano, unless inspired by the presence
of visitors whom he thoroughly likes, and even in such cases less for
his own pleasure than for the gratification of his friends. Even his
intimate friends would hardly venture to ask Liszt to play. His summer
months are divided between Pesth and Weimar, where his advent always
makes a glad commotion among the artistic circles of these respective
cities. Of the various pupils who have been formed by Liszt, Hans von
Bulow, who married his daughter Cosima, is the most distinguished,
and shares with Rubenstein the honor of being the first of European
pianists, now that Liszt has for so long a time withdrawn himself from
the field of competition.

VI.

Liszt has been a very industrious and prolific writer, his works
numbering thirty-one compositions for the orchestra; seven for the
piano-forte and orchestra; two for piano and violin; nine for the organ;
thirteen masses, psalms, and other sacred music; two oratorios;
fifteen cantatas and chorals; sixty-three songs; and one hundred
and seventy-nine works for the piano-forte proper. The bulk of these
compositions, th