e articles which had appeared in the papers
a propos of his concerts the latter and Elsner had been pitted against
each other, he wondered what would be the demeanour of his elder
fellow-countryman and fellow-composer towards him. Remembering Chopin's
repeated injunctions to his parents not to mention to others his remarks
on musicians, we may be sure that in this as in every other case
Chopin proceeded warily. Here is another striking example of this
characteristic and highly-developed cautiousness. After hearing the
young pianist Leskiewicz play at a concert he writes:--

It seems to me that he will become a better player than
Krogulski; but I have not yet dared to express this opinion,
although I have been often asked to do so.

In the first half of April, 1830, Chopin was so intent on finishing the
compositions he had begun that, greatly as he wished to pay his friend
Titus Woyciechowski a visit at his country-seat Poturzyn, he determined
to stick to his work. The Diet, which had not been convoked for five
years, was to meet on the 28th of May. That there would be a great
concourse of lords and lordlings and their families and retinues
followed as a matter of course. Here, then, was an excellent opportunity
for giving a concert. Chopin, who remembered that the haute voice had
not yet heard him, did not overlook it. But be it that the Concerto was
not finished in time, or that the circumstances proved less favourable
than he had expected, he did not carry out his plan. Perhaps the
virtuosos poured in too plentifully. In those days the age of artistic
vagrancy had not yet come to an end, and virtuosity concerts were still
flourishing most vigorously. Blahetka of Vienna, too, had a notion of
coming with his daughter to Warsaw and giving some concerts there during
the sitting of the Diet. He wrote to Chopin to this effect, and asked
his advice. The latter told him that many musicians and amateurs had
indeed often expressed a desire to hear Miss Blahetka, but that the
expenses of a concert and the many distinguished artists who had arrived
or were about to arrive made the enterprise rather hazardous.

Now [says Chopin, the cautious, to his friend] he [Blahetka]
cannot say that I have not sufficiently informed him of the
state of things here! It is not unlikely that he will come. I
should be glad to see them, and would do what I could to
procure a full house for his daughter. I should most
wi