pupils. [FOOTNOTE: She played already in public at Vienna
in the fourth decade of this century, which must have been before her
coming to Paris (see Eduard Hanslick, Geschichte des Concertwesens in
Wien, p. 326). Marriage brought the lady's professional career to a
close.] That the composer dedicated to her his Allegro de Concert,
Op. 46, may be regarded as a mark of his love and esteem for her. Carl
Mikuli found her assistance of great importance in the preparation of
his edition of Chopin's works, as she had received lessons from the
master for several years, and, moreover, had had many opportunities
of hearing him on other occasions. The same authority refers to Madame
Dubois (nee O'Meara) [FOOTNOTE: A relation of Edward Barry O'Meara,
physician to the first Napoleon at St. Helena, and author of "Napoleon
in Exile."] and to Madame Rubio (NEE Vera de Kologrivof) as to "two
extremely excellent pianists [hochst ausgezeichnete Pianistinnen] whose
talent enjoyed the advantage of the master's particular care." The
latter lady was taught by Chopin from 1842 to 1849, and in the last
years of his life assisted him, as we shall see, by taking partial
charge of some of his pupils. Madame Dubois, who studied under
Kalkbrenner from the age of nine to thirteen, became then a pupil of
Chopin, with whom she remained five years. It was very difficult to
obtain his consent to take another pupil, but the influence of M.
Albrecht, a common friend of her father's and Chopin's, stood her in
good stead. Although I heard her play only one or two of her master's
minor pieces, and under very unfavourable circumstances too--namely, at
the end of the teaching season and in a tropical heat--I may say that
her suave touch, perfect legato, and delicate sentiment seemed to me to
bear out the above-quoted remark of M. Marmontel. Madame Dubois, who is
one of the most highly-esteemed teachers of the piano in Paris, used to
play till recently in public, although less frequently in later than in
earlier years. And here I must extract a passage from Madame Girardin's
letter of March 7, 1847, in Vol. IV. of "Le Vicomte de Launay," where,
after describing Mdlle. O'Meara's beauty, more especially her Irish
look--"that mixture of sadness and serenity, of profound tenderness and
shy dignity, which you never find in the proud and brilliant looks which
you admire in the women of other nations "--she says:--

We heard her a few hours ago; she played in a reall