“‘Monsieur, you forget that I am no longer a critic. I write no more for the papers.’ “The monotony of my life has been broken lately. “Madame Erard, Madame Spontini and their niece begged me to read _Othello_ to them. The door was rigorously closed to all comers, and I read the masterpiece through from beginning to end to my audience of six, who wept gloriously. “Great heaven! What a revelation of the deepest depths of the human heart! That angel Desdemona, that noble fate-haunted Othello, that devil incarnate Iago! And to think that it was all written by a being like unto ourselves! “It needs long, close study to put oneself in the point of view of the author, to follow the magnificent sweep of his mighty wings. And translators are such donkeys. “Laroche is the best--most exact, least ignorant--yet I have to correct ever so many mistakes in my copy. “Liszt has been here for a week, and we dined together twice. “As we kept carefully off things musical we had a pleasant time. He has gone back to Rome to play the _Music of the Future_ to the Pope, who asks himself what on earth it all means.” * * * * * “_10th November 1864._--Can you believe, dear Humbert, that I have a grudge against the past? Why did I not know Virgil. “I see him dreaming in his Sicilian villa--so hospitable, so gracious. “And Shakespeare, that mighty Sphinx, impassible as a mirror, reflecting not creating. Yet what ineffable compassion must he not have had for poor, small, human things? “And Beethoven, rough and scornful, yet blessed with such exquisite tenderness and delicacy that I think I could have forgiven him all his contempt, his rudeness, everything! “And Gluck, the stately!... “Last week M. Blanche, the doctor of the Passy lunatic asylum, invited a party of artists and _savants_ to celebrate the anniversary of the performance of _The Trojans_. “I was invited and kept entirely in the dark. “Gounod was there. In his sweet, weak voice, but with the most perfect expression, he sang ‘_O nuit d’ivresse_’ with Madame Bauderali; then, alone, the song of Hylos. “A young lady played the dances, and they made me recite without music Dido’s scena, ‘_Va, ma sœur_.’ “It had a fine effect. They all knew my score by heart. I longed to have you there.” * * * * * “PARIS, _23rd December 1864_.--I have just sent you a copy of _La Nation_, with two columns by Gasperini about _The Trojans_ business at the Conservatoire. I did not know of that letter of Gluck. Where the devil did you get it? That is always the way. Beethoven was even more insulted than Gluck. Weber and Spontini share the honour.