injustice to the celebrated men--Kreutzer, Rode, Baillot, and Habeneck, and I declare now, as I have always done, that the French school is the first in the world for the violin." After this modest assertion Lafont concludes with an expression of rejoicing in the opportunity of praising a talent of which he felt it an honour to be the rival, but of which no one could make him the adversary. This epistle provoked a rejoinder from Francesco Cianchettini[37] who wrote:--"As I was present at that contest, I do assert that the account given by Mr. Imbert is not erroneous, but correct. The public decision was in favour of Paganini; Mr. Lafont having acquiesced in silence to such a decision, does not diminish one iota of his acquired fame: as not only himself, but every living violinist who dares to enter into rivalry with Paganini, will be prostrated, although the Signor has not had the advantage of being a pupil of the _super-excellent Parisian Violin School_. In Paris, I have heard how the talented violinists, mentioned in Mr. Lafont's letter, speak of Paganini. The _Coriosi_ gladiators of the Neronian age spoke with the same freedom of Hercules. Had this demigod suddenly appeared on the arena with his club, all of them would instantly have shrunk into pigmies." In a footnote Cianchettini added that whatever excellence the Parisian Violin School might lay claim to, was derived from Italians; from Viotti, through Pugnani and Tartini, to Corelli, "the father of the violin." But the genius of Paganini was fully understood and appreciated by a far greater Frenchman than Charles Lafont:--Hector Berlioz.