disease made it necessary for him to give up, first, public
performances, and then violin playing of any kind. He died at Nice after
eight years of intense suffering, in 1865.

When Ernst died the critic of the _Atheneum_ compared him with other
players of his day in the following words: "Less perfection in his
polish, less unimpeachable in the diamond lustre and clearness of his
tone, than De Bériot, Ernst had as much elegance as that exquisite
violinist, with greater depth of feeling. Less audaciously inventive and
extravagant than Paganini, he was sounder in taste, and, in his music,
with no lack of fantasy, more scientific in construction.... The secret,
however, of Ernst's success, whether as a composer or a virtuoso, lay in
his expressive power and accent. There has been nothing to exceed these
as exhibited by him in his best days. The passion was carried to its
utmost point, but never torn to tatters, the freest use of _tempo
rubato_ permitted, but always within the limits of the most just
regulation."

Among the violinists of this period (those who were born between 1800
and 1830) will be found those who first visited the United States. In
1843 Ole Bull found his way to these shores, and in the following year
both Vieuxtemps and Artot were giving concerts in New York. A kind of
triangular duel took place, for the admirers of Artot and Vieuxtemps,
who were chiefly the French residents of the city, endeavoured to
belittle the capabilities of Ole Bull, who nevertheless appears to have
been very successful, and if anything, to have benefited by the
competition. Musical culture was, at that time, in a very low state in
America, and one may judge somewhat of its progress by the press
criticisms of the artists who visited the country from time to time. It
will be seen that those who, like Ole Bull, Sivori, and Remenyi,