a good and well-tuned instrument for my pupils, and
have endeavored to merit the love and confidence both of my pupils and
of their parents. In fact, I have devoted myself thoroughly to my
calling, and have been wholly a teacher, always fixing my eye on the
true, the beautiful, and the artistic; and in this way have been of
service to my pupils.

FRIEND. But how do you find parents who sympathize with your ideas and
with your lofty views?

DOMINIE. I have found that almost all the parents of my pupils have
entered into my views, if not immediately, at least after they had been
present at a few lessons. In the case of those few who would not enter
into them, I have abandoned the lessons; but, nevertheless, I have found
that my time has been fully occupied. My friend, do you not think that
views like these will assist in the training of young and inexperienced
teachers, who are striving for improvement? and do you not think they
will be useful even to those who already possess general mental culture,
and who are animated by an ardent love for their calling? I especially
avoid giving here any exclusive method, a servile following of which
would be entirely contrary to my intentions, and, in fact, contrary to
my method.

But as for the rest! Alas, all those who do not understand me, or who
choose to misunderstand me, those are the worst!--especially the
ill-natured people, the _classical_ people who bray about music, stride
straight to the notes, and have no patience till they come to Beethoven;
who foolishly prate and fume about my unclassical management, but at
bottom only wish to conceal their own unskilfulness, their want of
culture and of disinterestedness, or to excuse their habitual drudgery.
Lazy people without talent I cannot undertake to inspirit, to teach,
and to cultivate.

This chapter will, almost by itself, point out to unprejudiced minds my
method of giving more advanced instruction, and will show in what spirit
I have educated my own daughters, even to the highest point of musical
culture, without using the slightest severity. It will, indeed, cause
great vexation to the ill-minded and even to the polite world, who
attribute the musical position of my daughters in the artistic world to
a tyranny used by me, to immoderate and unheard-of "practising," and to
tortures of every kind; and who do not hesitate to invent and
industriously to circulate the most absurd reports about it, instead of
inquiring into