Of lesser instrumental music, she has written two successful trios. Her piano pieces are many in number, and excellent in quality. Among them is a group of four and eight-hand works for two pianos, as well as duets for a single instrument. Among her most important solo works are a sonata, an _Etude Symphonique_, a Valse Caprice, a Guitarre, an Arabesque, six Etudes de Concert, five Airs de Ballet, containing the well-known Scarf Dance, six Romances Sans Paroles, and six humourous pieces. She has also written a few selections for violin and piano. It is undoubtedly her songs that have made her fame so widespread. She has published over sixty in all, nearly every one endowed with the delightful charm that is associated with her name. These songs are full of the rarest and most piquant melodic beauty, and the accompaniments are rich in colour and originality. A well-known critic writes: "Her music breathes the true spirit of romance shown in the poems that inspire it. Her themes are never commonplace or affected, and are gracefully supported by fluent, appropriate, and finely blended harmonies." Among her most recent compositions are some choral works, three of these, for orchestra in old style, being of especial interest. Her "Pardon Breton," "Noel des Marins," and "Angelus," for orchestra, are also worthy of mention, as well as her set of six "Poemes Evangeliques." She is now at work upon a three-act lyric drama. Augusta Mary Ann Holmes was born at Paris in 1847. Of Irish parentage, she afterward became naturalized as a Frenchwoman. Her family were much opposed to a musical career, and insisted on her giving it up. They did not approve of any artistic pursuit for her, but allowed her to take up painting as the lesser evil. Her love for music overcame all obstacles, and she soon began to appear as a child-prodigy in public and private concerts. Her early compositions took the form of songs, but when only eleven she conducted a quickstep of her own, played at Versailles by an artillery band. Her really great works, however, did not appear until many years later. [Illustration: AUGUSTA MARY ANN HOLMES]