“On the journey here I was troubled with the thought that Nadejda Filaretovna would be living so close to me; that we might meet. I even had a momentary suspicion that she might invite me. But a letter from her, which I found upon my writing-table yesterday, completely set my mind at rest. She will be leaving in three weeks, and during that time probably we shall not see each other once.” _To N. F. von Meck._ “FLORENCE, _November_ 20_th_ (_December_ 2_nd_), 1878. “ ... If you knew what a blessing this quiet, regular, and solitary life is, especially in such sympathetic surroundings! I shall begin the instrumentation of the Suite with ardour, because I am strongly attracted to a new subject for an opera: Schiller’s _Maid of Orleans_.... This idea came to me at Kamenka, while turning over the pages of Joukovsky. The subject offers much musical material. Verdi’s opera, _Giovanna d’Arco_, is not taken from Schiller in the first place, and secondly it is extremely poor. But I am glad I bought it. It will be very useful to compare the libretto with the French.” “_November_ 22_nd_ (_December_ 4_th_), 1878. “I have never thanked you, my good fairy, for the fine instrument. I often reproach myself for not being sufficiently grateful. On the other hand I am afraid of wearying you with my reiterated assurance of gratitude.” _To P. I. Jurgenson._ “FLORENCE, _November_ 24_th_ (_December_ 6_th_), 1878. “In the evening I often pace my verandah and enjoy the utter stillness. That strikes you as peculiar: how can anyone enjoy the absence of all sound, you will ask? If you were a musician, perhaps you, too, would have the gift of hearing, when all is still in the dead silence of night, the deep bass note which seems to come from the earth in its flight through space. But this is nonsense!” _To N. F. von Meck._ “FLORENCE, _November_ 26_th_ (_December_ 8_th_), 1878. “Please send me the Lalo Concerto again. I only looked through the first movement attentively, and found it rather insipid. After what you have written I should like to run through the work again. “I read Italian pretty well, but speak it badly. Once upon a time I studied it and could speak fluently. That was in the days of my admiration for Ristori. “I place Massenet lower than Bizet, Délibes, or even Saint-Saëns, but he, too, has--like all our French contemporaries--that element of freshness which is lacking in the Germans. 8 _p.m._