all this misery, I told Hans that for the time being he had
picked up enough to pass for a practical musician or even for an
experienced conductor.

The question now was to find him a sphere which would give him a
suitable scope for his talents. He told me that his father was
going to send him to Freiherr von Poissl, the manager of the
Munich Court Theatre, with a letter of introduction. But his
mother soon intervened, and wanted him to go to Weimar to
continue his musical training under Liszt. This was all I could
desire; I felt greatly relieved and heartily recommended the
young man, of whom I was very fond, to my distinguished friend.

He left St. Gall at Easter, 1851, and during the long period of
his stay in Weimar I was released from the responsibility of
looking after him.

Meanwhile Ritter remained in melancholy retirement, and not being
able to make up his mind whether or not he should return to
Zurich, where he would be disagreeably reminded of his unlucky
debut, he preferred for the present to stay in seclusion at St.
Gall.

The sojourn of my young friends at St. Gall had been pleasantly
varied during the previous winter by a visit to Zurich, when Hans
made his appearance as pianist at one of the concerts of the
musical society there. I also took an active part in it by
conducting one of Beethoven's symphonies, and it was a great
pleasure to us both to give each other mutual encouragement.