The Birth and Early Life of Ole Bull at Bergen, Norway.--His Family and Connections.--Surroundings of his Boyhood.--Early Display of his Musical Passion.--Learns the Violin without Aid.--Takes Lessons from an Old Musical Professor, and soon surpasses his Master.--Anecdotes of his Boyhood.--His Father's Opposition to Music as a Profession.--Competes for Admittance to the University at Christiania.--Is consoled for Failure by a Learned Professor.--"Better be a Fiddler than a Preacher."--Becomes Conductor of the Philharmonic Society at Bergen.--His first Musical Journey.--Sees Spohr.--Fights a Duel.--Visit to Paris.--He is reduced to Great Pecuniary Straits.--Strange Adventure with Vidocq, the Great Detective.--First Appearance in Concert in Paris.--Romantic Adventure leading to Acquaintance.--First Appearance in Italy.--Takes the Place of De Beriot by Great Good Luck.--Ole Bull is most enthusiastically received.--Extended Concert Tour in Italy and France.--His _Debut_ and Success in England.--One Hundred and Eighty Concerts in Six Months.--Ole Bull's Gaspar di Salo Violin, and the Circumstances under which he acquired it.--His Answer to the King of Sweden.--First Visit and Great Success in America in 1848.--Attempt to establish a National Theatre.--The Norwegian Colony in Pennsylvania.--Latter Years of Ole Bull.--His Personal Appearance.--Art Characteristics. MUZIO CLEMENTI. The Genealogy of the Piano-forte.--The Harpsichord its Immediate Predecessor.--Supposed Invention of the Piano-forte.--Silbermann the First Maker.--Anecdote of Frederick the Great.--The Piano-forte only slowly makes its Way as against the Clavichord and Harpsichord.--Emanuel Bach, the First Composer of Sonatas for the Piano-forte.--His Views of playing on the New Instrument.--Haydn and Mozart as Players.--Muzio Clementi, the Earliest Virtuoso, strictly speaking, as a Pianist.--Born in Rome in 1752.--Scion of an Artistic Family.--First Musical Training.--Rapid Development of his Talents.--Composes Contrapuntal Works at the Age of Fourteen.--Early Studies of the Organ and Harpsichord.--Goes to England to complete his Studies.--Creates an Unequaled Furore in London.--John Christian Bach's Opinion of Clementi.--Clementi's Musical Tour.--His Duel with Mozart before the Emperor.--Tenor of Clementi's Life in England.--Clementi's Pupils.--Trip to St. Petersburg.--Sphor's Anecdote of Him.--Mercantile and Manufacturing Interest in the Piano as Partner of Collard.--The Players and Composers trained under Clementi.--His Composition.--Status as a Player.--Character and Influence as an Artist.--Development of the Technique of the Piano, culminating in Clementi. MOSCHELES.