1837, he gave his two sisters legacies
of 60,000 and 70,000 francs; his mother a pension of 1,200; the mother
of his son Achillino (a Jewess of Milan) a similar pension; and the
rest of his fortune, amounting to 4,000,000 francs, devolved on his
son. These and other facts before related, we give on the authority of
the "Biographie Universelle."

Paganini certainly was a man of genius and a great performer, but
sacrificed his art to his avarice. His mastery over the violin was
almost marvellous, though he made an ignoble use of his power by
employing it to captivate the mob of pretended amateurs by feats
little better than sleight-of-hand. His performance on a single
string, and the perfection of his harmonics, were very extraordinary;
but why, as was asked at the time, be confined to one string when
there are four at command that would answer every musical purpose so
much better? His tone was pure, though not strong, his strings having
been of smaller diameter than usual, to enable him to strain them at
pleasure; for he tuned his instrument most capriciously. He could be a
very expressive player; we have heard him produce effects deeply
pathetic. His arpeggios evinced his knowledge of harmony, and some of
his compositions exhibit many original and beautiful traits.

[Illustration: Paganini in Prison.]

MENDELSSOHN

By C. E. BOURNE

(1809-1847)

Mendelssohn's lot in life was strikingly different from that of all
the musicians of whom I have hitherto written; he never knew, like
Schubert, what grinding poverty was, or suffered the long worries that
Mozart had to endure for lack of money. His father was a Jewish banker
in Berlin, the son of Moses Mendelssohn, a philosopher whose writings
had already made the name celebrated throughout Europe. The composer's
father used to say, with a very natural pride, after his own son had
grown up, "Formerly I was the son of my father, and now I am the
father of my son!"

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was born on February 3, 1809. His
parents were neither of them trained musicians, though both
appreciated and loved music, and it was from his mother that young
Felix received his first music-lessons. When he had made some advance,
Ludwig Berger became his tutor for the piano, and Zelter, a very
learned and severe theorist, for counterpoint. At the age of nine
years Felix had attained such proficiency that we find him taking the
pianoforte part in a trio at a public concert