fferent from mine.

Besides Chopin's illnesses became more frequent, his strength diminished
from day to day, and care and attendance were consequently more than
ever needful. That he was a "detestable patient" has already been said.
The world takes it for granted that the wife or paramour of a man of
genius is in duty bound to sacrifice herself for him. But how does the
matter stand when there is genius on both sides, and self-sacrifice
of either party entails loss to the world? By the way, is it not very
selfish and hypocritical of this world which generally does so little
for men of genius to demand that women shall entirely, self-denyingly
devote themselves to their gifted lovers? Well, both George Sand and
Chopin had to do work worth doing, and if one of them was hampered by
the other in doing it, the dissolution of the union was justified. But
perhaps this was not the reason of the separation. At any rate, George
Sand does not advance such a plea. Still, it would have been unfair not
to discuss this possible point of view.

The passage from the letter of George Sand dated September 1, 1846,
which I quoted earlier in this chapter, justifies us, I think, in
assuming that, although she was still keeping on her apartments in the
Square d'Orleans, the phalanstery had ceased to exist. The apartments
she gave up probably sometime in 1847; at any rate, she passed the
winter of 1847-8, for the most part at least, at Nohant; and when after
the outbreak of the revolution of 1848 she came to Paris (between the
9th and 14th of March), she put up at a hotel garni. Chopin continued
to live in his old quarters in the Square d'Orldans, and, according to
Gutmann, was after the cessation of his connection with George Sand in
the habit of dining either with him (Gutmann) or Grzymala, that is to
say, in their company.

It is much to be regretted that no letters are forthcoming to tell us of
Chopin's feelings and doings at this time. I can place before the reader
no more than one note, the satisfactory nature of which makes up to some
extent for its brevity. It is addressed to Franchomme; dated Friday,
October 1, 1847; and contains only these few words:--

Dear friend,--I thank you for your good heart, but I am very
RICH this evening. Yours with all my heart.

In this year--i.e., 1847--appeared the three last works which Chopin
published, although among his posthumous compositions there are two of
a later date. The Trois Mazur