Sgambati and Pinelli announce six matinees of Chamber Music every Wednesday, beginning the day after tomorrow. The audience will be more numerous this year than formerly. People are beginning to talk about these matinees in the aristocratic salons in which it is often de bon ton not to listen to good music.—
Towards spring Sgambati will bring you his new laurels, and will also tell you about his future prospects. The deciding of his marriage will influence all the rest: it might almost be regretted that our friend should abandon himself to an excess of honorable feeling!
Without offending any one, the famous saying about the Chassepot rifle may be applied to the Chickering Piano; it is doing wonders at Rome. Everybody talks to me of it, and wants to see and hear it. One of my archeological friends calls it "the Coliseum of Pianos"!
My affectionate respects to your mother;—sympathetic remembrances to Miss Williams; a friendly shake of the hand to Callander;—admiring chirps to Bocage;—warmest compliments to the Pearsolls, and
Very cordially yours,
F. Liszt
Rome, January 13th, 1868
63. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
My hearty congratulations upon our Falcon-colleagueship [Brendel had received the Weimar Order of the Falcon of Watchfulness (Falkenorden der Wachsamkeit)] and henceforth always, "Vigilando ascendimus."