danger of supplying you with an example at the next soirée, perhaps at
the banker's, Mr. Gold's. But, as I should like to hear your answer, I
will listen to, and report to you, what is said in a certain though not
very numerous clique, who are opposed to you and your labors.

DOMINIE. Those people would act more wisely, if they were to study my
writings; in which I will make any corrections, if there is any thing
that I can add to them, for the advantage of truth, right, and beauty.

And now allow me, Miss Emily, since you are pretty well advanced, and
are not quite spoiled, to show you in a few lessons how to study these
variations by Herz (Les Trois Graces, No. 1, on a theme from "The
Pirates"). They are not easy; but I will teach them in a way that shall
not weary you or give you a distaste for them. I have intentionally
chosen these variations, because they do not lay claim to great musical
interest; and, consequently, their mode of performance, their execution,
gives them their chief value. Moreover, they possess the disadvantage
for teaching that they are of unequal difficulty, and require,
therefore, the more skill on the part of the teacher to compensate for
this.

_First Lesson._ Miss Emily, these are very clear, graceful variations,
which require an extremely nice, delicate execution; and, especially, a
complete mechanical mastery of their various difficulties. Although
these variations may seem to you too easy, I am governed in the
selection of them by the maxim that "what one would learn to play finely
must be below the mechanical powers of the pupil." The theme of the
Italian song, which is the basis of these variations, is very well
chosen, and you must take great pains to execute it as finely as
possible, and to produce a singing effect upon the piano-forte. After