her, and found some moments of real
bliss in her society, but she finally married another.

A second affair was his love for Marie Wodzinski, whom he had known in
childhood and met at Dresden. She was just nineteen, and endowed with
charming beauty. The pianist-composer spent many an evening with her at
the house of her uncle, and often joined the family in their walks. But
this affair, too, came to no result. The hour for farewell struck, she
gave him a rose, and he improvised a _valse_ for her. This waltz, which
he afterward sent her from Paris, was the one called "L'Adieu."

That Chopin was fickle in his passions is shown by an anecdote of George
Sand's. According to her, he was in love with a young _Parisienne_, who
received him very kindly. All went well until one day he visited her
with another musician, who was at that time better known than Chopin in
Paris. Because the young lady offered this man a chair before thinking
of asking Chopin to be seated, he never called on her again, and
apparently forgot her immediately. George Sand avers that during all
this period he was considering a marriage in Poland, but other
acquaintances do not confirm this part of the story.

During the ten years passed together by Chopin and George Sand, in
Majorca, Genoa, Nohant, and Paris, Chopin produced most of his important
works. How much they were inspired by her, no one can say. But it is
certain that her care of him in his usually ailing condition must have
been of great aid to him. It is certain that she became an integral part
of his life, for he did not survive their separation longer than two
years. This separation at any rate, was responsible for some of the
Polish master's compositions, for he comforted his wounded spirit by
pouring out his emotions in such works as the great A flat Polonaise.

[Illustration: SYBIL SANDERSON]

A figure of lesser though more recent prominence was Sybil Sanderson.
Her fame on the operatic stage is a matter of the present, in spite of
her death. She inspired the composer Jules Massenet to produce many of
his best works, notably the opera, "Esclarmonde," which was written with
her in view as performer. Another tribute to her is found in the song,
"Femme, Immortelle Ete." These are but a few of the more important
instances in musical history, which go to show that woman's influence is
responsible for many works in connection with which her name does not
appear at first glance. The actual wo