1. The mention in the ninth
letter of the Rue Pigalle, 16, George Sand's and Chopin's abode in
Paris, of Pelletan, the tutor of George Sand's son Maurice, and of the
latter's coming to Paris, speaks likewise against 1838 and for 1841,
1840 being out of the question, as neither George Sand nor Chopin was in
this year at Nohant. What decides me especially to reject the date 1839
for the seventh letter is that Pauline Garcia had then not yet become
the wife of Louis Viardot. There is, moreover, an allusion to a visit of
Pauline Viardot to Nohant in the summer of 1841 in one of George Sand's
letters (August 13, 1841). In this letter occurs a passage which is
important for the dating both of the fifth and the seventh letter. As
to the order of succession of the letters, it may be wrong, it certainly
does not altogether satisfy me; but it is the result of long and careful
weighing of all the pros and cons. I have some doubt about the seventh
letter, which, read by the light of George Sand's letter, ought perhaps
to be placed after the ninth. But the seventh letter is somewhat of a
puzzle. Puzzles, owing to his confused statements and slipshod style,
are, however, not a rare thing in Chopin's correspondence. The passage
in the above-mentioned letter of George Sand runs thus: "Pauline leaves
me on the 16th [of August]; Maurice goes on the 17th to fetch his
sister, who should be here on the 23rd."

[I.] Nohant [1841].

My very dear friend,--I arrived here yesterday, Thursday. For
Schlesinger [FOOTNOTE: The Paris music-publisher.] I have
composed a Prelude in C sharp minor [Op. 45], which is short,
as he wished it. Seeing that, like Mechetti's [FOOTNOTE: The
Vienna music-publisher.] Beethoven, this has to come out at
the New Year, do not yet give my Polonaise to Leo (although
you have already transcribed it), for to-morrow I shall send
you a letter for Mechetti, in which I shall explain to him
that, if he wishes something short, I will give him for the
Album instead of the mazurka (which is already old) the NEW
prelude. It is well modulated, and I can send it without
hesitation. He ought to give me 300 francs for it, n'est-ce
pas? Par-dessus le marche he may get the mazurka, only he must
not print it in the Album.

Should Troupenas, [FOOTNOTE: Eugene Troupenas, the Paris music-
publisher.] that is, Masset, [FOOTNOTE: Masset (his daughter,
Madame Colombier, informed me) was the partner of