arp." Mr. W. R. Morfill
("A Simplified Grammar of the Polish Language") elucidates the
combination szcz, frequently to be met with, by the English expression
"smasht china," where the italicised letters give the pronunciation.
Lastly, family names terminating in take a instead of i when applied to
women.

April, 1888.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The second edition differs from the first by little more than the
correction of some misprints and a few additions. These latter are to
be found among the Appendices. The principal addition consists of
interesting communications from Madame Peruzzi, a friend of Chopin's
still living at Florence. Next in importance come Madame Schumann's
diary notes bearing on Chopin's first visit to Leipzig. The remaining
additions concern early Polish music, the first performances of Chopin's
works at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, his visit to Marienbad (remarks by
Rebecca Dirichlet), the tempo rubato, and his portraits. To the names
of Chopin's friends and acquaintances to whom I am indebted for valuable
assistance, those of Madame Peruzzi and Madame Schumann have, therefore,
to be added. My apologies as well as my thanks are due to Mr. Felix
Moscheles, who kindly permitted a fac-simile to be made from a
manuscript, in his possession, a kindness that ought to have been
acknowledged in the first edition. I am glad that a second edition
affords me an opportunity to repair this much regretted omission. The
manuscript in question is an "Etude" which Chopin wrote for the "Methode
des Methodes de Piano," by F. J. Fetis and I. Moscheles, the father of
Mr. Felix Moscheles. This concludes what I have to say about the second
edition, but I cannot lay down the pen without expressing my gratitude
to critics and public for the exceedingly favourable reception they have
given to my book.

October, 1890.

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.

BESIDES minor corrections, the present edition contains the correction
of the day and year of Frederick Francis Chopin's birth, which have been
discovered since the publication of the second edition of this work.
According to the baptismal entry in the register of the Brochow parish
church, he who became the great pianist and immortal composer was born
on February 22, 1810. This date has been generally accepted in
Poland, and is to be found on the medal struck on the occasion of the
semi-centenary celebration of the master's death. Owing to a misread