F. Liszt
(F. Chopin) (Aug. Franchomme.)
(By-the-bye, I met Heine yesterday, who begged me to grussen you herzlich and herzlich.) [to send you his warmest and most heartfelt greetings]
(By-the-bye, also, please excuse all the "you's" [Instead of the more familiar "thee" and "thou.">[—I do beg you to excuse them. If you have a moment to spare, give us news of yourself, which would be most welcome. Paris, Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin, No. 5. At present I am occupying Franck's lodging [Dr. Hermann Franck, author, friend of Chopin and of many other celebrities; editor also for a short time, in the forties, of Brockhaus's "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung">[—he is gone to London and Berlin. I am most happy in the rooms which were so often our meeting-place. Berlioz sends greetings.
As to pere Baillot, he is in Switzerland, at Geneva. So now you can guess that I can't send you the Bach concerto.
June 20th, 1833)
7. To Abbe F. de Lamennais
[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.— Addressed to the celebrated French author (1782-1854), who followed his brilliant apology of Catholicism, "Essai sur l'Indifference en Matiere de Religion" (Essay on Indifference in Matters of Religion, 1817-1823), by the "Paroles d'un Croyant" (Words of a Believer, 1834), a veritable "Ode to revolution in the sublimest biblical style," and sought to bring religious and political liberty into accord with true religiousness. The latter work made an unheard-of sensation, but brought upon him the anathema of the Church. He obtained a great influence over Liszt, who was on intimate terms with him.]
Four months have actually passed, dear Father, since we parted, and I feel very sad at not getting a word from you!—at the same time I do not wish to complain, for it seems to me that you can never doubt my deep and filial affection…Much more, I even know that you have been willing to accept it, and, however humble it may be, to count it for something…What more then can I desire?…
Eugene, whose brotherly friendship becomes dearer to me day by day, has often given me good tidings of you. The last time I saw him he told me confidentially that you were working at a sort of Introduction, or developed Preface to your works.—Although I know perfectly well that my interest counts for nothing in this matter, I may be permitted nevertheless to tell you how glad I am to know that you are occupied with this work. To yourself, first of all, I think you owe it—your name and glory will shine out all the more powerfully for it. And, secondly, for the public it will be a work of art the more (and this commodity becomes rather rare as time goes on), and which will besides have the double advantage of aiding and fixing them in the understanding of your past works, whilst at the same time preparing them for, and initiating them into, your future thoughts.