, leaving nothing but ashes behind." Alas! it is the
natures like that of the fragile musician whose days we commemorate,
which, consuming themselves, perish; not wishing, not indeed being able,
to live any life but one in conformity with their own exclusive Ideal.

Chopin seemed to dread Madame Sand more than any other woman, the modern
Sibyl, who, like the Pythoness of old, had said so many things that
others of her sex neither knew nor dared to say. He avoided and put
off all introduction to her. Madame Sand was ignorant of this. In
consequence of that captivating simplicity, which is one of her noblest
charms, she did not divine his fear of the Delphic priestess. At last
she was presented to him, and an acquaintance with her soon dissipated
the prejudices which he had obstinately nourished against female
authors.

In the fall of 1837, Chopin was attacked by an alarming illness, which
left him almost without force to support life. Dangerous symptoms forced
him to go South to avoid the rigor of winter. Madame Sand, always so
watchful over those whom she loved, so full of compassion for their
sufferings, would not permit him, when his health required so much care,
to set out alone, and determined to accompany him. They selected the
island of Majorca for their residence because the air of the sea, joined
to the mild climate which prevails there, is especially salubrious for
those who are suffering from affections of the lungs. Though he was
so weak when he left Paris that we had no hope of his ever returning;
though after his arrival in Majorca he was long and dangerously ill;
yet so much was he benefited by the change that big health was improved
during several years.

Was it the effect of the balmy climate alone which recalled him to
health? Was it not rather because his life was full of bliss that he
found strength to live? Did he not regain strength only because he now
wished to live? Who can tell how far the influence of the will extends
over the body? Who knows what internal subtle aroma it has the power of
disengaging to preserve the sinking frame from decay; what vital force
it can breathe into the debilitated organs? Who can say where the
dominion of mind over matter ceases? Who knows how far our senses are
under the dominion of the imagination, to what extent their powers may
be increased, or their extinction accelerated, by its influence? It
matters not how the imagination gains its strange extension of pow