unicated to each other
their ideas and impressions, followed different routes to
arrive at the same goal.

This unison of kindred minds is so beautiful that one cannot but wish
it to have been a fact. Still, I must not hide the circumstance that
neither Liszt nor Karasowski mentions Dobrzynski as one of Chopin's
friends, and the even more significant circumstance that he is only
mentioned twice and en passant in Chopin's letters. All this, however,
does not necessarily nullify the lexicographer's statements, and until
contradictory evidence is forthcoming we may hold fast by so pleasing
and ennobling a creed.

The most intimate of Chopin's early friends, indeed, of all
his friends--perhaps the only ones that can be called his bosom
friends--have still to be named, Titus Woyciechowski and John
Matuszynski. It was to them that Chopin wrote his most interesting and
self-revealing letters. We shall meet them and hear of them often in
the course of this narrative, for their friendship with the musician was
severed only by death. It will therefore suffice to say here that Titus
Woyciechowski, who had been Chopin's school-fellow, lived, at the period
of the latter's life we have now reached, on his family estates, and
that John Matuszynski was then studying medicine in Warsaw.

In his letter of December 27, 1828, Chopin makes some allusions to the
Warsaw theatres. The French company had played Rataplan, and at the
National Theatre they had performed a comedy of Fredro's, Weber's
Preciosa, and Auber's Macon. A musical event whichmust have interested
Chopin much more than the performances of the two last-mentioned
works took place in the first half of the year 1829--namely, Hummel's
appearance in Warsaw. He and Field were, no doubt, those pianists who
through the style of their compositions most influenced Chopin. For
Hummel's works Chopin had indeed a life-long admiration and love. It is
therefore to be regretted that he left in his letters no record of
the impression which Hummel, one of the four most distinguished
representatives of pianoforte-playing of that time, made upon him. It
is hardly necessary to say that the other three representatives--of
different generations and schools let it be understood--were Field,
Kalkbrenner, and Moscheles. The only thing we learn about this visit of
Hummel's to Warsaw is that he and the young Polish pianist made a good
impression upon each other. As far as the latter is concerned