vourite, not, however,
of the democracy of large concert-halls, but of the aristocracy of
select salons.

The following letter addressed to Hiller, written by Chopin and Liszt,
and signed by them and Franchomme, brings together Chopin's most
intimate artist friends, and spreads out before us a vivid picture of
their good fellowship and the society in which they moved. I have put
the portions written by Liszt within brackets [within parentheses in
this e-text]. Thus the reader will see what belongs to each of the
two writers, and how they took the pen out of each other's hand in the
middle of a phrase and even of a word. With regard to this letter I have
further to remark that Hiller, who was again in Germany, had lately lost
his father:--

{This is at least the twentieth time that we have made
arrangements to meet, sometimes at my house, sometimes here,
[Footnote: At Chopin's lodgings mentioned farther on.] with
the intention of writing to you, and some visit, or other
unexpected hindrance, has always prevented us from doing
so!...I don't know whether Chopin will be able to make any
excuses to you; as regards myself it seems to me that we have
been so excessively rude and impertinent that excuses are no
longer either admissible or possible.

We have sympathised deeply with you in your sorrow, and
longed to be with you in order to alleviate as much as
possible the pangs of your heart.}

He has expressed himself so well that I have nothing to add
in excuse of my negligence or idleness, influenza or
distraction, or, or, or--you know I explain myself better in
person; and when I escort you home to your mother's house
this autumn, late at night along the boulevards, I shall try
to obtain your pardon. I write to you without knowing what my
pen is scribbling, because Liszt is at this moment playing my
studies and transports me out of my proper senses. I should
like to rob him of his way of rendering my own studies. As to
your friends who are in Paris, I have seen the Leo family and
their set [Footnote: Chopin's words are et qui s'en suit.' He
refers, no doubt, to the Valentin family, relations of the
Leos, who lived in the same house with them.] frequently this
winter and spring. There have been some soirees at the houses
of certain ambassadresses, and there was not one in which
mention was not made of some one who is at Frankfort. Madam