tive a turn of mind to leave facts in
their native nakedness, but this tendency of his is too apparent to need
pointing out. What betrays him is the wonderful family likeness of his
portraits, a kind of vapid esprit, not distantly related to silliness,
with which the limner endows his unfortunate sitters, Chopin as well as
Liszt and Tausig. Indeed, the portraits compared with the originals are
like Dresden china figures compared with Greek statuary. It seems to me
also very improbable that so perfect a gentleman as Chopin was should
subject a stranger to an examination as to his reading and general
occupation. These questions have very much the appearance of having
been invented by the narrator for the sake of the answers. However,
notwithstanding the many unmistakable embellishments, Lenz's account
was worth quoting, for after all it is not without a basis of fact and
truth. The following reminiscences of the lively Russian councillor,
although not wanting in exaggerations, are less open to objections:--

I always made my appearance long before my hour and waited.
One lady after another came out, one more beautiful than the
other, on one occasion Mdlle. Laure Duperre, the daughter of
the admiral, whom Chopin accompanied to the staircase, she was
the most beautiful of all, and as straight as a palm; to her
Chopin has dedicated two of his most important Nocturnes (in C
minor and F sharp minor, Op. 48); she was at that time his
favourite pupil. In the anteroom I often met little Filtsch,
who, unfortunately, died too young, at the age of thirteen, a
Hungarian and a genius. He knew how to play Chopin! Of Filtsch
Liszt said in my presence at a soiree of the Comtesse
d'Agoult: "When the little one begins to travel, I shall shut
up my shop" (Quand le petit voyagera, je fermerai boutique). I
was jealous of Filtsch, Chopin had eyes only for him.

How high an opinion the master had of this talented pupil appears from
his assertion that the boy played the E minor Concerto better than he
himself. Lenz mentions Filtsch and his playing of the E minor Concerto
only in passing in "Die grossen Pianoforte-Virtuosen unserer Zeit," but
devotes to them more of his leisure in an article which appeared in the
Berliner Musikzeitung (Vol. XXVI.), the amusing gossip of which deserves
notice here on account of the light thrown by some of its details on
Chopin's ways and the company he received in his salon. On one occ