parted on one side, tender brown eyes, intelligent rather than dreamy, a finely-curved aquiline nose, a sweet subtle smile, graceful and varied gestures.”  This precise description is by Niecks.  Liszt said he had blue eyes, but he has been overruled.  Chopin was fond of elegant, costly attire, and was very correct in the matter of studs, walking sticks and cravats.  Not the ideal musician we read of, but a gentleman.  Berlioz told Legouve to see Chopin, “for he is something which you have never seen—­and some one you will never forget.”  An orchidaceous individuality this.

With such personal refinement he was a man punctual and precise in his habits.  Associating constantly with fashionable folk his naturally dignified behavior was increased.  He was an aristocrat--there is no other word—­and he did not care to be hail-fellow-well-met with the musicians.  A certain primness and asperity did not make him popular.  While teaching, his manner warmed, the earnest artist came to life, all halting of speech and polite insincerities were abandoned.  His pupils adored him.  Here at least the sentiment was one of solidarity.  De Lenz is his most censorious critic and did not really love Chopin.  The dislike was returned, for the Pole suspected that his pupil was sent by Liszt to spy on his methods.  This I heard in Paris.

Chopin was a remarkable teacher.  He never taught but one genius, little Filtsch, the Hungarian lad of whom Liszt said, “When he starts playing I will shut up shop.”  The boy died in 1845, aged fifteen; Paul Gunsberg, who died the same year, was also very talented.  Once after delivering in a lovely way the master’s E minor concerto Filtsch was taken by Chopin to a music store and presented with the score of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.”  He was much affected by the talents of this youthful pupil.  Lindsay Sloper and Brinley Richards studied with Chopin.  Caroline Hartmann, Gutmann, Lysberg, Georges Mathias, Mlle. O’Meara, many Polish ladies of rank, Delphine Potocka among the rest, Madame Streicher, Carl Mikuli, Madame Rubio, Madame Peruzzi, Thomas Tellefsen, Casimir Wernik, Gustav Schumann, Werner Steinbrecher, and many others became excellent pianists.  Was the American pianist, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, ever his pupil?  His friends say so, but Niecks does not mention him.  Ernst Pauer questions it.  We know that Gottschalk studied in Paris with Camille Stamaty, and made his first appearance there in 1847.  This was shortly before Chopin’s death when his interest in music had abated greatly.  No doubt Gottschalk played for Chopin for he was the first to introduce the Pole’s music in America.