house Hummel, Liszt, Chopin, Moscheles, Madame
Grassini, and Mademoiselle Falcon, then young and brilliant
in talent and beauty; Auber and Halevy, the favourite pupils
of the master; and Meyerbeer and Rossini.

As evidence of the younger master's respect for the older one may
be adduced a copy made by Chopin of one of Cherubini's fugues. This
manuscript, which I saw in the possession of M. Franchomme, is a miracle
of penmanship, and surpasses in neatness and minuteness everything I
have seen of Chopin's writing, which is always microscopic.

From Dr. Hiller I learnt also that Chopin went frequently to Baillot's
house. It is very probable that he was present at the soirees which
Mendelssohn describes with his usual charming ease in his Paris letters.
Baillot, though a man of sixty, still knew how to win the admiration of
the best musicians by his fine, expressive violin-playing. Chopin writes
in a letter to Elsner that Baillot was very amiable towards him, and
had promised to take part with him in a quintet of Beethoven's at
his concert; and in another letter Chopin calls Baillot "the rival of
Paganini."

As far as I can learn there was not much intercourse between Chopin and
Rossini. Of Kalkbrenner I shall have presently to speak at some
length; first, however, I shall say a few words about some of the most
interesting young artists whose acquaintance Chopin made.

One of these young artists was the famous violoncellist Franchomme, who
told me that it was Hiller who first spoke to him of the young Pole and
his unique compositions and playing. Soon after this conversation, and
not long after the new-comer's arrival in Paris, Chopin, Liszt, Hiller,
and Franchomme dined together. When the party broke up, Chopin asked
Franchomme what he was going to do. Franchomme replied he had no
particular engagement. "Then," said Chopin, "come with me and spend an
hour or two at my lodgings." "Well," was the answer of Franchomme, "but
if I do you will have to play to me." Chopin had no objection, and the
two walked off together. Franchomme thought that Chopin was at that time
staying at an hotel in the Rue Bergere. Be this as it may, the young
Pole played as he had promised, and the young Frenchman understood him
at once. This first meeting was the beginning of a life-long friendship,
a friendship such as is rarely to be met with among the fashionable
musicians of populous cities.

Mendelssohn, who came to Paris early in