gement of young talent must be
our goal. We write not to enrich tradespeople, but to honor artists."

Schumann took up arms in favor of the younger generation of musicians
and helped make the fame of many now held in the world's highest
esteem. Sometimes, he admits, his ardor carried him too far in
recognition of youthful talent, but in the main he was very just
in his estimates. We do not forget how his quick commendation aided
Brahms.

The young musicians who founded the paper had formed themselves also
into an alliance, which they called the Davidsbuendlerschaft. The
idea of this alliance, which was derived from David's war with the
Philistines, seemed to exist only in the mind of Schumann himself.
It gave him a chance to write under the name of different characters,
chief of whom were Florestan and Eusebius, between whom stood Master
Raro. In Florestan Schumann expressed the powerful, passionate side of
his nature, and in Eusebius the mild and dreamy side.

He wrote to a friend: "Florestan and Eusebius are my double nature,
which I would gladly--like Raro--melt down into one man." As time
passed however, he made less and less use of these fanciful images
until they finally seemed to fade out of his mind.

An important event of 1834, was Schumann's acquaintance with Ernestine
von Fricken, who came to Leipsic from the little town of Asch, on
the Bohemian border. She lived at the Wiecks', expecting to become a
pianist under Papa Wieck's tuition. Schumann became greatly interested
in Ernestine and for some time he had in mind an engagement with her.
The noble "Etudes Symphoniques" were written this year. The theme was
suggested by Ernestine's father. The "Carnival" was partly written
in this year, but not completed till the following year. In this
collection of charming short pieces he brings in the characters of his
dreams,--Florestan, Eusebius, Chiarina (Clara), Estrella (Ernestine).
There is the March against the Philistines, and the titles of many
other of the little pieces are characteristic. It is a true Schumann
composition, full of his traits. Here we have the sweet, graceful,
elegant and the very humorous and comical finale.

The tone creations of 1835 consist of the two Sonatas, F sharp minor,
Op. 11 and G minor, Op. 22, which are held by pianists to be among his
most interesting and poetical works.

By the next year Schumann had suffered a deep sorrow in the loss of
his mother, and also his love for Er