in the domain of art," wrote one of the critics. The public seemed to be
intoxicated. Hats, dresses, shoes, everything bore his name. His
portrait was to be found everywhere, he was decorated and presented with
medals and honours.

He continued his tour through Germany, being received everywhere with
the utmost enthusiasm, and he visited England, after a sojourn in Paris,
in 1831.

When he reached home after an absence of six years, he was the possessor
of a considerable fortune, part of which he lost by injudicious
investments. Some friends induced him to join them in the establishment
of a casino in a fashionable locality in Paris. It was called the Casino
Paganini, and was intended to be a gambling-house. The authorities,
however, refused to grant a license, and it was found impossible to
support it by concerts only. After some vicissitudes a law-suit was
established against Paganini, who was condemned to pay fifty thousand
francs, and to be imprisoned until the amount was paid, but this
decision was not reached until Paganini was in a dying condition, and
he went, by the advice of his physicians, to Marseilles, where he
remained but a short time. Finding that his health did not improve, he
decided to pass the winter at Nice, but the progress of his ailment was
not checked, and on May 27, 1840, he expired.

By his will, made three years previously, he left an immense fortune and
the title of baron, which had been conferred on him in Germany, to his
son Achille,--the fruit of a liaison with the singer Antonia Bianchi of
Como,--whose birth had been legitimised by deeds of law. His fortune
amounted to about four hundred thousand dollars, besides which he had a
valuable collection of musical instruments. His large Guarnieri violin