To Edouard Franck, Breslau, (now director of the berne conservatorium.)
Leipzig, January 8th, 1838.
I did not receive your letter of the 25th of October till two days ago, and at the same time a splendid copy of your “Études.” I was afraid you had given up the completion of the work, as it was so long since I had heard anything of it; I was therefore the more agreeably surprised by its arrival. You wish me to give you an opinion about the compositions themselves; but you are well aware how superfluous I consider all such criticisms, whether of my own or of others; to go on working I consider the best and only thing to do, and when friends urge this after every fresh work, their doing so in itself contains a kind of verdict. I believe that no man ever yet succeeded in controlling and commanding the minds of others by one work; a succession of works all aiming at one point can alone do it. Such then is your function, and the duty which God has imposed on you, by the talents he has given you. Fulfil it then; I believe that the happiness of life lies entirely on this, and cannot be attained without it, and the omission would be a very great sin.
Thus the wish that you may go forward on your path, and pursue your labours, is the sole criticism I have at present to send you of your work.
We have already discussed most of the details; there are no faults, and you are master of your tools; but continue to use them more and more, as I have already said.
No doubt, you can almost imagine you hear me saying all this, and at last I shall appear to you in the light of a basso ostinato, who is perpetually growling, and ends by being tiresome beyond measure; for instead of expressing my thanks, I begin the old song all over again, but still I am not deficient in gratitude either, and I wish to tell you so again and again in my very best manner. Write to me soon and at length (or rather by music, which says all things); you know what sincere pleasure every letter of yours causes me. Farewell, and once more accept my thanks for the gratification you have bestowed on me, and doubtless on many others by your first work.—I am, with esteem, yours,
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.