Address your letters to Monsieur Reidet, the receiver-general at the port of Rouen.
A thousand kind messages to the ladies Boissier. I will tell you some day the reasons which prevented me from starting for Geneva. On this subject I shall call you in evidence.
Bertini is in London; Madame Malibran is making her round of Germany; Messemaecker (how is he getting on?) is resting on his laurels at Brussels; Aguado has the illustrious maestro Rossini in tow.—Ah—Hi—Oh—Hu!!!
6. To Ferdinand Hiller
[This letter, published by F. Niecks ("F. Chopin, Man and Musician," Vol. 1. German by Langhans. Leipzig, Leuckart, 1890), was written by Liszt and Chopin jointly, and was also signed by Chopin's friend Franchomme, the violoncellist. The part written by Chopin is indicated here by parentheses ().—Addressed to the well-known composer and author, afterwards Director of the Conservatorium and Concert Society at Cologne (1811-1885).]
This is the twentieth time, at least, that we have tried to meet, first at my house, then here, with the intention of writing to you, and always some visit, or some other unforeseen hindrance, has occurred. I don't know whether Chopin will be strong enough to make excuses to you; for my part, it seems to me that we have been so unmannerly and impertinent that no excuses are now permissible or possible.
We sympathized most deeply in your bereavement, and more deeply did we wish that we could be with you in order to soften, as far as possible, the grief of your heart. [Hiller had lost his father.]
(He has said it all so well that I have nothing to add to excuse me specially for my negligence or idleness, or whim or distraction, or—or—or—You know that I can explain myself better in person, and, this autumn, when I take you home late by the boulevards to your mother, I shall try to obtain your pardon. I am writing to you without knowing what my pen is scribbling, as Liszt is at this moment playing my Studies, and transporting me away from all suitable ideas. I wish I could steal his manner of rendering my own works. With regard to your friends who are staying in Paris, I have often seen, during this winter and spring, the Leo family [August Leo, banker in Paris], and all that follows. There have been evenings at certain ambassadresses' houses, and there was not a single one at which somebody living at Frankfort was not mentioned. Madame Eichthal sends you many kind messages—Plater [Count Plater, Chopin's countryman, and a friend also of Liszt], the whole family were very sorry for your departure, and begged me to give you their condolences.) Madame d'Apponyi [Apponyi, the Austrian ambassador in Paris] was very much vexed with me for not having taken you there before your departure; she hopes that when you come back you will be sure to remember the promise you made me. I will say as much of a certain lady who is not an ambassadress.
Do you know Chopin's wonderful Studies?—(They are admirable! and moreover they will last only until yours appear) = an author's little piece of modesty!!! (A little piece of rudeness on the part of the regent, for—to explain the matter fully—he is correcting my spelling) according to the method of Monsieur Marlet.
You will come back in the month of (September, isn't it? tr)y [Tach]ez] to let us know the day; we have determined to give you a serenade or charivari [mock serenade]. The company of the most distinguished artists of the capital = M. Franchomme (present), Madame Petzold, and the Abbe Bardin [passionate lover of music, who had a great many artists to see him], the leaders of the Rue d'Amboise (and my neighbors), Maurice Schlesinger [music publisher], uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and—and ("en plan du troisienae," etc.). ["in the third row—i.e. less important people]. The responsible editors,