in May—­Op. 57, Berceuse (D flat major), dedicated to Mdlle.  Elise Gavard; and in June—­Op. 58, Sonate (B minor), dedicated to Madame la Comtesse E. de Perthuis.  Those of 1846:  in April—­Op. 59, Trois Mazurkas (A minor, A flat major, and F sharp minor); and in September—­Op. 60, Barcarole (F sharp major), dedicated to Madame la Baronne de Stockhausen; Op. 61, Polonaise-Fantaisie (A flat major), dedicated to Madame A. Veyret; and Op. 62, Deux Nocturnes (B major and E major), dedicated to Mdlle.  R. de Konneritz.  Those of 1847:  in September—­Op. 63, Trois Mazurkas (B major, F minor, and C sharp minor), dedicated to Madame la Comtesse L. Czosnowska, and Op. 64, Trois Valses (D flat major, C sharp minor, and A flat major), respectively dedicated to Madame la Comtesse Delphine Potocka, Madame la Baronne Nathaniel de Rothschild, and Madame la Baronne Bronicka; and lastly, in October—­Op. 65, Sonate (G minor), pour piano et violoncelle, dedicated to Mr. A. Franchomme.

From 1838 to 1846 Chopin passed regularly every year, with the exception of 1840, three or four months at Nohant.  The musical papers announced Chopin’s return to town sometimes at the beginning of October, sometimes at the beginning of November.  In 1844 he must either have made a longer stay at Nohant than usual or paid it a visit during the winter, for in the “Gazette musicale” of January 5, 1845, we read:  “Chopin has returned to Paris and brought with him a new grand Sonata and variantes.  These two important works will soon be published.”

[Footnote:  The new Sonata here mentioned is the one in B minor, Op. 58, which was published in June, 1845.  As to the other item mentioned, I am somewhat puzzled.  Has the word to be taken in its literal sense of “various readings,” i.e., new readings of works already known (the context, however, does not favour this supposition), or does it refer to the ever-varying evolutions of the Berceuse, Op. 57. published in May, 1845, or, lastly, is it simply a misprint?]

George Sand generally prolonged her stay at Nohant till pretty far into the winter, much to the sorrow of her malade ordinaire (thus Chopin used to style himself), who yearned for her return to Paris.

According to Liszt, the country and the vie de chateau pleased Chopin so much that for the sake of enjoying them he put up with company that did not please him at all.  George Sand has a different story to tell.  She declares that the retired life and the solemnity of the country agreed neither with Chopin’s physical nor with his moral health; that he loved the country only for a fortnight, after which he bore it only out of attachment to her; and that he never felt regret on leaving it.  Whether Chopin loved country life or not, whether he liked George Sand’s Berry friends and her guests from elsewhere or not, we may be sure that he missed Paris and his accustomed Paris society.