handed hospitality, that it was impossible to
mention the Leipziger Strasse without connecting it with information
respecting the Mendelssohns. The two things, indeed, were inseparable
in everybody's mind. Thither, amongst others, came Ferdinand Hiller,
the eminent performer, who had visited Beethoven while the latter lay
on his death-bed, and whose friendship with Felix had begun at
Frankfort a short time before. Moscheles, who had worked under
Beethoven, also became a regular visitor at the house, and one of
Felix's closest friends. Moscheles had already acquired fame as a
player, and during his stay in Berlin he was induced, though not
without reluctance, to give some lessons to Mendelssohn. 'He has no
need of lessons,' he remarked, with reference to Felix's ability. 'If
he wishes to take a hint from me as to anything new to him, he can
easily do so.' Felix, however, frankly acknowledged afterwards how
much he owed to these lessons at the hands of him whose graceful,
elegant touch could not be excelled. Speaking of Moscheles' playing on
one occasion, Mendelssohn said that 'the runs dropped from his fingers
like magic.'

We must now speak of two works which were composed very soon after
Zelter's declaration of his pupil's independence. The first of these
was an Octet for stringed instruments, designed as a birthday present
for Edward Ritz, the young violinist, for whom Mendelssohn entertained
a deep affection, and whose premature death caused him much sorrow.
Felix had not completed his seventeenth year when the Octet was
written. He had already composed a great deal, but he had done nothing
so entirely fresh and original as this. Indeed, one might place one's
finger on the Octet, and, forgetting everything which he had written
before, say with emphasis and truth: 'This is Mendelssohn himself;
this is his very own.' No longer an 'apprentice,' swayed or, at least,
influenced by the masters who had gone before him, he has here given
us the first-fruits of his 'assistantship' in a work which expresses
his own musicianly feelings, and in which we get our first glimpse of
his true genius. The whole piece was intended to be played _staccato_
and _pianissimo_. It has a fleeting, spiritual, and fairy-like effect,
with 'tremolos and trills passing away with the quickness of
lightning.' The Scherzo is especially beautiful, and Mendelssohn
admitted to his sister Fanny that he had taken as his motto for this
movement a stanza fr