e naive discussions of differing opinions,) "that it is scarcely
possible to talk about any thing to any body." (Qu'il n'y a guere moyen
de causer de quoi que ce soit, avec qui que ce soit.)

Sincerely religious, and attached to Catholicity, Chopin never touched
upon this subject, but held his faith without attracting attention to
it. One might have been acquainted with him for a long time, without
knowing exactly what his religious opinion were. Perhaps to console his
inactive hand an reconcile it with his lute, he persuaded himself to
think: Il mondo va da se. We have frequently watched him during the
progress of long, animated, and stormy discussions, in which he would
take no part. In the excitement of the debate he was forgotten by the
speakers, but we have often neglected to follow the chain of their
reasoning, to fix our attention upon the features of Chopin, which were
almost imperceptibly contracted when subjects touching upon the most
important conditions of our existence were discussed with such eagerness
and ardor, that it might have been thought our fates were to be
instantly decided by the result of the debate. At such times, he
appeared to us like a passenger on board of a vessel, driven and tossed
by tempests upon the stormful waves, thinking of his distant country,
watching the horizon, the stars, the manoeuvres of the sailors, counting
their fatal mistakes, without possessing in himself sufficient force to
seize a rope, or the energy requisite to haul in a fluttering sail.

On one single subject he relinquished his premeditated silence, his
cherished neutrality. In the cause of art he broke through his reserve,
he never abdicated upon this topic the explicit enunciation of his
opinions. He applied himself with great perseverance to extend the
limits of his influence upon this subject. It was a tacit confession
that he considered himself legitimately possessed of the authority of
a great artist. In questions which he dignified by his competence, he
never left any doubt with regard to the nature of his opinions. During
several years his appeals were full of impassioned ardor, but later, the
triumph of his opinions having diminished the interest of his role, he
sought no further occasion to place himself as leader, as the bearer of
any banner. In the only occurrence in which he took part in the
conflict of parties, he gave proof of opinions, absolute, tenacious, and
inflexible, as those which rarely come