his
permanent home. His character had now become finely formed, he being
quite noticeable for his gentlemanly, scholarly qualities, and for the
close attention he gave to the subject of music and to all that
concerned true advancement in the profession in which he had now
resolved to remain for life. As illustrating the principles by which
he was guided, I give the following extract from a letter of his to a
friend, describing his life at the time just mentioned. He says,--

"I adopted as a rule of guidance for myself, that I would do
full justice to the learner in my efforts to impart to him a
good knowledge of the elementary principles of music, and a
correct system of fingering [on the guitar], as practised
by, and taught in the works of, the best masters in Europe.
I also decided that in my intercourse as teacher I would
preserve the most cautious and circumspect demeanor,
considering the relation a mere business one that gave me no
claims upon my pupils' attention or hospitality beyond what
any ordinary business matter would give. I am not aware,
therefore, that any one has ever had cause to complain of my
demeanor, or that I have been in any case presumptive."

He had now become firmly established as a teacher, and was soon at the
head of the profession in Cleveland as a guitar-instructor. This,
however, did not satisfy him; and he determined to attain to still
greater proficiency. Finding that the best systems for guitar-playing
were such as were taught in the works (foreign) of Sor, Carulli,
D'Aguado, Giuliani, Ferranti, and Mertz, Mr. Holland entered upon a
course of study of the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, in
order that he might read in the original the systems of those great
masters, and thus be the better able to understand and apply the same.
He soon by diligent study acquired a knowledge of the languages
mentioned; and, as will hereafter appear, this knowledge became of
great use to him.

The secret of our subject's great success as a guitar-virtuoso may be
readily gathered from the statement I have just made about the
foreign languages. _He was always thorough, enterprising, singularly
industrious._ Loving deeply his chosen profession and instrument, he
could never be satisfied with a position of mere mediocrity, either as
a performer or teacher; but with most studious care he sought both
near and far all sources of theoretical i