to hear,
hearts to feel, and some small degree of perception and taste, I
should laugh heartily over all these things--but really, as it
regards music, I am living among mere brute beasts. How can it be
otherwise? It is the same in all their passions, and, indeed, in
every transaction of life; no place in the world is like Paris. Do
not think that I exaggerate when I speak thus of the state of
music here--ask any one except a native Frenchman, and if he be
fit to answer the question, he will tell you the same. I must
endure out of love to you--but I shall thank God Almighty if I
leave this place with my healthful natural taste. It is my
constant prayer that I may be enabled to establish myself, that I
may do honour to the German nation, and make fame and money, and
so be the means of helping you out of your present narrow
circumstances, and of our all living together once more,
cheerfully and happily."

Take the following vivid sketch of his task in teaching composition to
a young lady:--

"Among these pupils one is daughter of the Duc de Guines, with
whom I am in high favour, and I give her two hours' instruction in
composition daily, for which I am very liberally paid. He plays
the flute incomparably, and she magnificently on the harp. She
possesses much talent and cleverness, and, in particular, a very
remarkable memory, which enables her to play all her pieces, of
which there are at least two hundred, without book. She is
doubtful whether she has genius for composition--particularly with
respect to thoughts or ideas; her father (who, between ourselves,
is a little too much in love with her) affirms that she certainly
has ideas, and that nothing but modesty and a want of confidence
in herself prevent their appearing. We shall now see. If she
really have no ideas, and I must say I have as yet seen no
indication of them, it will be all in vain, for God knows I can
give her none. It is not her father's intention to make any very
great composer of her. 'I do not wish her,' he says, 'to write any
operas, airs, concertos, or symphonies, but merely grand sonatas
for her instrument, as I do for mine.'

"I gave her the fourth lesson to-day, and, as far as the rules of
composition go, am tolerably satisfied with her; she put the bass
to the first minuet which I placed before her, v