its real meaning. But to-day we have the words of one who was enabled
to watch closely as a friend one of the greatest composers that ever
lived. And being much with him, hearing the music of the master played
by the master himself, put the thought into his head, that it is
impossible to be a true genius without heart and love.

From this we shall have courage to know that what we pursue in music
is real; that the beauties of great music, though they may just now be
beyond us, are true, and exist to those who are prepared for them.
When in our struggle to be more capable in art than we are to-day we
think of the beauty around us, and desire to be worthy of it, we are
then forming an ideal, and ideals are only of value when we strive to
live up to them.

Once in Rome there lived a Greek slave--some day you may read his
name. He has told us, that "if thou wouldst have aught of good, have
it from thyself."[61] Of course we see in this, immediately, the truth
that has been spoken of in nearly every one of these Talks. It is
this: We must, day by day, become better acquainted with ourselves,
study our thoughts, have purity of heart, and work for something.

Now, working for something may be accomplished in a simple manner
without thinking of it. If every task is done in our best way it adds
something to us. It is true and beautiful, too, that the reward for
patient, faithful work comes silently to us, and often we do not know
of its presence. But some day, finding ourselves stronger, we look to
know the cause of it, and we see that the faithfulness of past days
has aided us.

So art teaches us a very practical lesson in the beginning. If we