Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 526 pages of information about Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2.

Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 526 pages of information about Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2.
I received yesterday your kind words with the letter from Heidelberg.  I am as perplexed here as when I was with you, and have the same love in my heart for you as when I was with you.  My respects to your wife and your neighbours.  May God bless you!

  I embrace you cordially.  I have seen the Princess
  [Czartoryska]; they were inquiring about you most kindly.

  My present abode is 4, St. James’s Place.  If anything should
  come for me, please send it to that address.

  3rd November, 1848.

  Pray send the enclosed note to Miss Stirling, who, no doubt,
  is still at Barnton.

[Footnote:  In this case, as when writing to Woyciechowski, Matuszynski, Fontana, Franchomme and Gutmann, Chopin uses in addressing his correspondent, the pronoun of the second person singular.  Here I may also mention the curious monogram on his seal:  three C’s in the form of horns (with mouthpieces and bells) intertwined.]

The following letter shows in what state of mind and body Chopin was at the time.

Chopin to Grzymala; London, October [should be November] 17-18, 1848:—­

My dearest friend,—­For the last eighteen days, that is, since my arrival in London, I have been ill, and had such a severe cold in my head (with headache, difficult breathing, and all my bad symptoms) that I did not get out of doors at all.  The physician visits me daily (a homoeopathist of the name of Mallan, the same whom my Scotch ladies have and who has here a great reputation, and is married to a niece of Lady Gainsborough).  He has succeeded in restoring me so far that yesterday I was able to take part in the Polish Concert and Ball; I went, however, at once home, after I had gone through my task.  The whole night I could not sleep, as I suffered, besides cough and asthma, from very violent headache.  As yet the mist has not been very bad, so that, in order to breathe a little fresh air, I can open the windows of my apartments notwithstanding the keen cold.  I live at No. 4, St. James’s Street, see almost every day the excellent Szulczewski, Broadwood, Mrs. Erskine, who followed me hither with Mr. Stirling, and especially Prince Alexander [Czartoryski] and his wife.
[Footnote:  Charles Francis Szulczewski, son of Charles Szulczewski, Receiver General for the District of Orlow, born on January 18, 1814, was educated at the Military School at Kalisz, served during the War of 1831 in the Corps of Artillery under General Bem, obtained the Cross of Honour (virtuti militari) for distinguishing himself at Ostrolenka, passed the first years of his refugee life in France, and in 1842 took up his residence in London, where, in 1845, he became Secretary of the Literary Association of the Friends of Poland.  He was promoted for his services to the rank of Major in the Polish Legion, which was formed in Turkey under the command
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Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.