Black, 1880).
This ends the list of biographies with any claims to originality. There
are, however, many interesting contributions to a biography of Chopin
to be found in works of various kinds. These shall be mentioned in
the course of my narrative; here I will point out only the two most
important ones--namely, George Sand's "Histoire de ma Vie," first
published in the Paris newspaper "La Presse" (1854) and subsequently in
book-form; and her six volumes of "Correspondance," 1812-1876 (Paris:
Calmann Levy, 1882-1884).

My researches had for their object the whole life of Chopin, and his
historical, political, artistical, social, and personal surroundings,
but they were chiefly directed to the least known and most interesting
period of his career--his life in France, and his visits to Germany and
Great Britain. My chief sources of information are divisible into two
classes--newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, correspondences, and books;
and conversations I held with, and letters I received from, Chopin's
pupils, friends, and acquaintances. Of his pupils, my warmest thanks are
due to Madame Dubois (nee Camille O'Meara), Madame Rubio (nee Vera de
Kologrivof), Mdlle. Gavard, Madame Streicher (nee Friederike Muller),
Adolph Gutmann, M. Georges Mathias, Brinley Richards, and Lindsay
Sloper; of friends and acquaintances, to Liszt, Ferdinand Hiller,
Franchomme, Charles Valentin Alkan, Stephen Heller, Edouard Wolff, Mr.
Charles Halle, Mr. G. A. Osborne, T. Kwiatkowski, Prof. A. Chodzko, M.
Leonard Niedzwiecki (gallice, Nedvetsky), Madame Jenny Lind-Goldschmidt,
Mr. A. J. Hipkins, and Dr. and Mrs. Lyschinski. I am likewise greatly
indebted to Messrs. Breitkopf and Hartel, Karl Gurckhaus (the late
proprietor of the firm of Friedrich Kistner), Julius Schuberth,
Friedrich Hofmeister, Edwin Ashdown, Richault & Cie, and others, for
information in connection with the publication of Chopin's works. It is
impossible to enumerate all my obligations--many of my informants and
many furtherers of my labours will be mentioned in the body of the book;
many, however, and by no means the least helpful, will remain unnamed.
To all of them I offer the assurance of my deep-felt gratitude. Not a
few of my kind helpers, alas! are no longer among the living; more than
ten years have gone by since I began my researches, and during that time
Death has been reaping a rich harvest.

The Chopin letters will, no doubt, be regarded as a special feature
of t