s even to have been sluggish in his
studies and in the production of new works. How he leisurely whiled away
the mornings at his lodgings, and passed the rest of the day abroad and
in society, he himself has explicitly described. That this was his
usual mode of life at Vienna, receives further support from the
self-satisfaction with which he on one occasion mentions that he had
practised from early morning till two o'clock in the afternoon. In his
letters we read only twice of his having finished some new compositions.
On December 21, 1830, he writes:--

I wished to enclose my latest waltz, but the post is about to
depart, and I have no longer time to copy it, therefore I
shall send it another time. The mazurkas, too, I have first
to get copied, but they are not intended for dancing.

And in the month of July, 1831, "I have written a polonaise, which
I must leave here for Wurfel." There are two more remarks about
compositions, but of compositions which were never finished, perhaps
never begun. One of these remarks refers to the variations on a theme
of Beethoven's, which he intended to compose conjointly with Slavik, and
has already been quoted; the other refers to a grander project. Speaking
of Nidecki, who came every morning to his lodgings and practised his
(Chopin's) concerto, he says (December 21, 1830):--

If I succeed in writing a concerto for two pianos so as to
satisfy myself, we intend to appear at once with it in
public; first, however, I wish to play once alone.

What an interesting, but at the same time what a gigantic, subject to
write on the history of the unrealised plans of men of genius would be!
The above-mentioned waltz, polonaise, and mazurkas do not, of course,
represent the whole of Chopin's output as a composer during the time
of his stay in Vienna; but we may surmise with some degree of certainty
that few works of importance have to be added to it. Indeed, the
multiplicity of his social connections and engagements left him little
time for himself, and the condition of his fatherland kept him in a
constant state of restlessness. Poland and her struggle for independence
were always in his mind; now he laments in his letters the death of a
friend, now rejoices at a victory, now asks eagerly if such or such a
piece of good news that has reached him is true, now expresses the hope
that God will be propitious to their cause, now relates that he has
vented his patriotism by put