resembled the dinner which will go down to posterity as given by
the Hungarians of London to Liszt in [1886], which was really a private
dinner given by Mrs. Bretherton to fifteen people, of whom her children
and mine were four. NO Hungarians."]

The documents--letters and newspaper advertisements and notices--bearing
on this period of Chopin's life are so plentiful that they tell the
story without the help of many additions and explanatory notes. This is
satisfactory, for one grain of fact is more precious than a bushel of
guesses and hearsays.

Chopin to Gutmann; London, 48, Dover Street, Piccadilly,
Saturday, May 6, 1848:--

Dear friend,--Here I am at last, settled in this whirlpool of
London. It is only a few days since I began to breathe; for it
is only a few days since the sun showed itself. I have seen M.
D'Orsay, and notwithstanding all the delay of my letter he
received me very well. Be so good as to thank the duchess for
me and him. I have not yet made all my calls, for many persons
to whom I have letters of introduction are not yet here. Erard
was charming; he sent me a piano. I have a Broadwood and a
Pleyel, which makes three, and yet I do not find time to play
them. I have many visitors, and my days pass like lightning--I
have not even had a moment to write to Pleyel. Let me know how
you are getting on. In what state of mind are you? How are
your people? With my people things are not going well. I am
much vexed about this. In spite of that I must think of making
a public appearance; a proposal has been made to me to play at
the Philharmonic, [FOOTNOTE: "Chopin, we are told," says the
Musical World of May 27, 1848, "was invited to play at the
Philharmonic, but declined."] but I would rather not. I shall
apparently finish off, after playing at Court before the Queen
[chez la reine], by giving a matinee, limited to a number of
persons, at a private residence [hotel particulier]. I wish
that this would terminate thus. But these projects are only
projects in the air. Write to me a great deal about yourself.
--Yours ever, my old Gut.,

CHOPIN.

P.S.--I heard the other evening Mdlle. Lind in La Sonnambula.
[FOOTNOTE: Jenny Lind made her first appearance at Her
Majesty's Theatre in the season 1848, on May 4, as Amina, in
La Sonnambula. The Queen was present on that occasion. Pauline
Garcia made her first appearance, likewise as Amina, at Cove