practice; at least,
if you are in earnest about either. You say painters often play on the
guitar and the flute. That may be true: I will allow them those two
instruments. But piano-playing stands on a different footing, even for
mere amateurs. Sweet melodies on those instruments may afford an
agreeable companionship for the painter in his rambles through the woods
and over the hills; but piano-playing should be the friend of a
life-time, ennobled by the elevating enjoyment of lofty master-works.
Therefore, I beg you, do not dissipate your powers too much. Leave the
art of painting to your friends, who are either without talent for
music, or who have no opportunity to study it. Our short lives do not
allow the successful practice of several arts. Of what advantage to our
higher culture is it to be able to do ten things tolerably well; what
gain for the future, for humanity, or for the true happiness of the
individual? And even if you can succeed in painting something which
scarcely can be said to resemble a rose, of what advantage is it, when
we have so many real roses to admire?

My dear ladies, I warn you, generally, do not be afraid of the
so-called classical, heavy music, especially Beethoven's, if you desire
to learn from it, only or chiefly, repose, lightness, facility,
elasticity, graceful, delicate playing, and a fine touch. It is
necessary to play such music after those brilliant qualities have
already been, to a certain degree, acquired by mere studies and
appropriate pieces. It is, however, still more foolish and impractical,
when parents (who perhaps are skilful musicians, but who have no
recollection of their own youth) hold the mistaken opinion that their
children ought, from the very beginning, to practise and play only fine
classical music, in order that the children's ears may not be injured by
false progressions, by insignificant finger exercises, and by easily
comprehensible Italian airs, and that they themselves may not be ruined
body and soul. Gracious heavens! how much pure music, suited to the
piano, have not my daughters, as well as many others whom I have brought
up to be fine performers, played and studied!--such, for instance, as
the music of Huenten, Czerny, Burgmueller, Kalkbrenner, A. and J. Schmitt,
Herz, and many others. Who finds fault now with their musical culture,
with their sound taste, or their want of love for classical music? What
a long road a child has to travel through Etudes o