# Notes of a Pianist

NOTES OF A PIANIST.
BY
LOUIS MOREAU GOTTSCHALK,
PIANIST AND COMPOSER,
CHEVALIER OF THE ORDERS OF ISABELLA THE CATHOLIC, CHARLES III., AND LION OF HOLSTEIN-LIMBOURG; MEMBER OF THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETIES OF BORDEAUX, NEW YORK, HAVANA, RIO DE JANEIRO, ETC. ETC.
DURING HIS PROFESSIONAL TOURS IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, THE ANTILLES, AND SOUTH AMERICA.
PRECEDED BY A
SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH WITH CONTEMPORANEOUS CRITICISMS.
EDITED BY HIS SISTER,
CLARA GOTTSCHALK
TRANSLATED PROM THE FRENCH BY
ROBERT E. PETERSON, M.D.
"We see that nothing is wanting in the works of Gottschalk, neither variety in the subjects treated of, nor originality of style. He merits then, as composer and as artist, a separate place alongside of the great masters of modern art."—A. Marmontel.
PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.; LONDON: 16 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1881.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1881, by ROBERT E. PETERSON, M.D., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress.
TO
THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,
THE BIRTHPLACE OF
LOUIS MOREAU GOTTSCHALK,
This Volume
IS DEDICATED BY HIS
BROTHER AND SISTERS.
CONTENTS.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
CHAPTER I. :
| | PAGE |
| Parentage and birth—Musical precocity—Delicate health of his mother—Removal to Pass Christian—Mother alarmed by hearing the piano—Great surprise to find it was the child—Father's resolve to have him taught music—Anecdote of the negress slave and child—Effrontery of Indian—Return to New Orleans | 25 |
| CHAPTER II. ||
| Mr. Letellier, his teacher of piano— Mr. Miolan, teacher on violin—Rapid progress—Plays organ at cathedral mass—Unable, from emotion, to relate his success to his mother—His first concert—Great success—Father's resolution to send him to Paris—Concert before departure—Anecdote of Mr. Barraud, the hairdresser | 29 |
| CHAPTER III. ||
| Leaves New Orleans for Paris—Arrival in Paris—Hallé, his first musical professor—Afterwards Camille Stamaty—His love for Mr. Stamaty—Composition taught him by Mr. Maleden—Other studies—Introduced by his grandaunt, the Marquise de la Grange, to the Duke of Salvandi and the Duchesse de Narbonne, Duke d'Ecarre, Rothschild, Edouard Rodrigue—Great memory for music—Musical mnemotechny applied to other studies—Concert, non payant, at the Salle Pleyel—Could America produce an artist?—Great success—Chopin's prediction—Concert at Sedan—Hitherto played only compositions of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Thalberg, and Chopin—Writes 'Danse Ossianique,' 'Les Ballades d'Ossian,' or 'Le Lai du Dernier Ménestrel,' 'La Grande Valse,' 'La Grande Etude Concert'—Anecdotes | 31 |
| CHAPTER IV. ||
| His mother and family arrive in Paris—Takes charge of them—Concert at Salle Pleyel—Thalberg's predictions, criticisms—Health delicate—Pedestrian tour in the Vosges—Singular adventure—Return to Paris—Becomes intimate with Rev. Adolphe Monod—Anecdote related by Mr. Monod—Concert for workmen of Mr. Pleyel, whose workshop had been burned—Account and criticism in 'La France Musicale'—Presentation of address by workmen to Gottschalk | 35 |
| CHAPTER V. ||
| Mr. Pleyel, Erard—Caricatured by 'Cham'—Anecdotes—Journey to Switzerland—'Le songe d'une nuit d'été—Taken ill at Rousses—Concerts at Geneva—Grand Duchess of Russia—Princess Weymar—Concert at Yverdon for hospital for the aged—One wing named after him—Notice in 'La France Musicale,' by L. Escudier—Criticisms and notices from the Swiss press, by Julius Eichberg, Schriwaneck, Oscar Commettant; 'Parisian Press,' by Berlioz, Ad. Adam (de l'Institut), Escudier, Fiorentino, and Théophile Gantier | 42 |
| CHAPTER VI. ||
| Return from Switzerland to Paris—Leaves for Madrid—Visits Bordeaux, Pau, Tarbes, Bayonne—Dinner given to him by Monseigneur Donnet, Cardinal Archbishop of Bordeaux—Notices of press and criticisms of artists—Concerts for benefit of the poor | 54 |
| CHAPTER VII. ||
| Arrival in Spain—Concerts at Bilboa—Concert for benefit of the Maison de Charité—Reception at Madrid—Queen Isabella, Duke of Riansares—Reception at Court—Plays 'Bamboula'—Dedication to the Queen—Queen Dowager's ball—Courtesy of the King—Legitimate triumph—Three concerts at the Teatro del Circe—Six pieces encored—Called before audience seventeen times—A crown of gold thrown to him—Valladolid—Description of reception by Marie Escudier—Invited by Colonel the Count de Pierra to review the Farnesio Regiment—Injury to his finger through jealousy—Invited to dinner by Doña Josepha, sister to the King—Presents him with cake made by her royal hands, diamond studs, and portrait, with her autograph—Returns to Madrid—made honorary member of the Academy Artistique—Performs 'Le Siege de Saragosse' for ten pianos at Teatro del Principe—Wild excitement—Presented by the celebrated bull-fighter, Jose Redondo, with the sword of Francisco Montes—Presents by Duke and Duchess de Montpensier—Leaves Spain for Paris and New York | 59 |
| CHAPTER VIII. ||
| Arrival in New York—Barnum's offer declined—Leaves for New Orleans—Concerts in New York and Philadelphia—Concerts at New Orleans—Gold medal presented to him—Returns to New York—Concert at Boston, and news of his father's death—Leaves for New Orleans—Pays his father's debts—Publishes 'Last Hope,' etc.—Eighty concerts from 1855 to 1856—Death of his mother—Returns to the Antilles, in company with Adelina Patti—Composes 'Columbia,' etc.—His rest at Matouba—Other pieces composed—Again at Havana—Organizes a great festival with eight hundred musicians—'La Nuit des Tropiques'—Created Chevalier of the i-oyal and distinguished order of Charles III. by Queen Isabella—Arrival and death of his brother Edward in New York—Max Strakosch's offer accepted—Eleven hundred concerts given—Leaves San Francisco for South America—Arrival and tour in South America—Lima, Montevideo, Buenos Ayres—Concerts given for benefit of French, German, and English hospitals—Gold medals—Rio Janeiro—Marked attention from Dom Pedro and Queen—Attacked with fellow fever—Visits to Emperor Dom Pedro—Soirée in his honour at Emperor's palace, San Christorao—Emperor's delicacy—Kindness of Emperor during his sickness—Public reception by clergy of Imperial College of Alcantara—Concert at Valenza—His last concert—Faints at piano and conveyed home—Illness—Conveyed to Tijuca—His decease | 66 |
| CHAPTER IX. ||
| Notices of his death—His funeral under the control of the Philharmonic Society—Great lamentation in Rio—Burial in cemetery of San Jose Baptista—Orations at his grave—His intentions after leaving Brazil to visit Great Britain—On receiving news of death his sisters leave London for New York—Gottschalk's body brought to New York—Conveyed to St. Stephen's Church—Funeral celebration—His body, with that of his brother Edward, conveyed to Greenwood Cemetery—Monument erected by his brother and sisters | 75 |
| POSTHUMOUS CRITICISMS. ||
| Gottschalk as a Man | 79 |
| Gottschalk as a Composer and Pianist | 80 |
| NOTES OF A PIANIST. ||
| CHAPTER I. ||
| First visit to Cuba—Havana—Forts Morro and Cabaña—Customhouse officers—Incident on the steamer from New Orleans—Counts M. de Cassato and Malaperta—Meeting of the counts in Spain—Singular coincidence—First evening in Havana—English travellers in Spain—Requisites for travelling—Southerner at Saratoga—Imbecility or bad faith of travellers in their accounts of slavery in Cuba—Illness and concert—Invited to palace by Marshal Serrano—Opera of 'Fête Champêtre Cubaine'—Grand concert of nearly nine hundred performers—Immense labour in getting it up—Opera troupes expected at Havana—Triumph of Traviata—Effect of Traviata on the ladies—Enthusiasm for La Gazzaniga—Parties of Frezzolini and Gazzaniga—La Cartesi—Strife renewed between the parties—Interference of authorities—Trip to Cardenas—Exports and trade with United States—Necessities of a Spanish city—Church and theatre; of a Yankee city, hotel, church, newspaper office, and concert hall—Concert at Cardenas—Return to Havana—Difficulties of the road | 89 |
| CHAPTER II. ||
| Country of the Antilles—Interior of Cuba—Sugar plantations—Treatment of slaves—Life at Caymito—Bats—Books—Le Sage—What renders the Spaniards unhappy—Embark for St. Thomas—St. Domingo and its associations—Tales at the fireside—Bras Coupé—Assassination in St. Domingo—Justification of the negroes—Escape of family to New Orleans—St. Thomas—Invitation from governor-general—Three concerts—Event of the evening—Chevalier de L———Frederick Barbaroussa—Buccaneers—Barbaroussa's tower and fortress—Negro traditions—St. Thomas a free port—The exchange of the two continents—A naval station of great importance—Yellow fever—Town of St. Thomas—Picturesque fêtes at the Port of France on the inauguration of the statue of the Empress Josephine—Concert—Visit to Mr. R. at Plazuela—Reception at Ponce—Concerts, ladies—Barcelona (la Côte ferme)—Escape of the Busati family—Hospitality of the Creoles—Madam Busati—Opera troupe wanted at St. Pierre—Professor of piano wanted—Regret on leaving Martinique—Piano made by Henri Herz—Reports of my death—Funeral homage to the bard of the tropics—Description of superb coloured engraving | 99 ​ |
| CHAPTER III. ||
| New York once more—Six years foolishly spent—Roaming at random—Conceal myself in a desert—Live like a hermit—Poor fool for companion—Description of cabin and surrounding scenery—Compose 'Réponds moi,' 'La Marche des Gibarros,' 'Polonia,' 'Columbia,' 'Pastorella e Cavalliere,' 'Jeunesse,' etc.—My vagabond life restored to me—Living the life of primitive countries—A voice in the depths of conscience—Excuse for the demi-savages of the savanna—Strakosch offers an engagement—I accept—Poesy and youth—Concert at New York—Richard Hoffman an artist and a gentleman—The artist is merchandise—The press of the United States—Detractors—'Murmures Eoliens'—Emptiness of human things—First concert at New York—Losses—Wallace—Barnum's offer—Father's prejudices—Leave for New Orleans—Enthusiastic reception—Parisian reputation—Thrown on my own resources—Family obligations—Pay my father's debts—Tour in New England—First receipts at Boston—Discouragement—Losses—Return to New York—Letter from the Countess de Flavigny—Hall's offer—Success—Hall publishes 'Le Banjo' and 'La Marche,' etc.—Rapid sale—'Last Hope,' first sold for fifty dollars—Hall purchased it from the publisher for same price—Immense number since sold—New York as brilliant in 1862 as in 1857—Foreign journals on the war—Most governments interested in the fall of the republic—Ignorance of foreigners concerning the United States—Instances of this ignorance—Lacuna in our civilization—Brignoli—Companion of the desert follows me to New York | 117 |
| CHAPTER IV. ||
| Chicago—City raised from ten to twelve feet—House raising—Flour and grain at Chicago—Milwaukee—Banner of 'Great Hole in the Day'—Sioux massacre in Minnesota—Philharmonic society, theatre, and concert hall at Milwaukee—French cook gives a dinner—Amateurs of great talent—Convoy of wounded—Multiplication of Miss Nightingales—Toledo— Rage for conversion—Hamilton (Canada)—English soldiers—Musical taste not developed—Never listen to the public—Bishop of Chicago—Mdlle. Patti—Affecting incident at station—Lockport—Lincoln pardons a young soldier condemned to death—St. Louis—Society divided into cliques—Catholics in the majority—German professor of music—Maladroit imitation of the great professor of Bonn—Soap not incompatible with genius—Mass at Father Ryan's church—Why does the priest get out of the key?—Sacred music—Serenade to General Halleck—Announces great victory, and also a sad one—Cincinnati—Library of Young Men's Mercantile Association—Commerce of Cincinnati in lard and hams—Visit slaughter house—Jackson's defeat of Banks—Seventh regiment of New York—Riot in Baltimore—Bad business—Superb concert at Philadelphia—'L'Union' excites great enthusiasm—After concerts in New York and Philadelphia leave for Washington—Anxious to see army of the Potomac—Incident on the way to Washington in 1856—Winter of 1856—Seven hours from Brooklyn to New York—Reach the Chesapeake—Yankee activity of mind—His adaptability—Trains taken for troops—In the cars for Washington—Five hundred thousand troops on foot in twenty-four hours—Car fitted up for kitchen—Meals given by ladies of Philadelphia to three hundred and fifty thousand men—Ladies enrolled as nurses—Fifth volunteer corps New York artillery—Comfort of sleeping cars | 132 ​ |
| CHAPTER V. ||
| Convent of the Sisters of the Visitation—Daughter of General B———Presentation by the lady superior in the name of the scholars—Heller—Titiens, Negrini, and Ullman—Ristori—Rachel—Academy of Music at Philadelphia, one of the most beaiitiful in the world—Concert at Washington—Whole diplomatic corps present—Count Mercier, Mr. de Tassera, the Spanish minister, Baron Stockel, Mr. Blondel, Belgian minister, Chevalier Bertinati—Plays the national air of each country—President Lincoln—His person and character—Concert alone at Worcester—Amateur annoyance—Anglo-Saxon method of playing music wholly speculative—Horror of musical Puritans—Englishman before a picture—How he forms a judgment—Anglo-Saxon lacks the pensive element—Chickering's music hall—Success of aeronaut at battle of Richmond—Seventh regiment New York volunteers—Mr. B., a furrier, almost a theatrical monomaniac—Mr. B. forms an Italian opera company.—Miss B.'s marvellous toilet said to cost five thousand dollars—Second concert at Providence—Tillman—Monster representations—Hermann—Portsmouth a charming town—Pretty girls—Baby show by Barnum—Portland, Maine—Magnificent concert—Salem—'Madamina' of Don Juan—Susini—Mistake of the amateurs—Mason, the pianist—Springfield, Massachusetts—Matinée at Newark, New Jersey—Burlington, Vermont—Bishop Hopkins—On the way to Montreal—Horrid French of the Canadians—Montreal—La Chine—St. Lawrence River—Visit to Alvarge Island—Daughter of Trobriant—Madam Stevens, of Boston—Miss Reed—Captain Blair—Lord Dunmore—Quebec—'L'Ange déchu' of Kalkbrenner—Streets crowded with priests—Convents—Commerce of Quebec—Pronunciation of the Canadians—Interment of a sergeant of artillery—Singular music—Reviews on the Esplanade—Band plays 'Dixie'—Canadian vocabulary—Lord Dunmore tries to run the blockade—Ottawa—House of Parliament | 145 ​ |
| CHAPTER VI. ||
| 'Ballad to the moon,' by Alfred Musset—Watertown—Singular Frenchman—Kingston—Toronto—Marble Heart—Dion Boucicault—Batavia—Indian tomb—Geneva—Immense concert—Rev. Mr. Reed—Most beautiful country in the world—School girls' picnic—Elmira—Oswego—Commerce of Oswego—Lake Ontario—Rome—Utica—Charming town—General McClellan—Jefferson Davis—Reports about McClellan—Cleveland—Sunday and suicide—Lake Erie—Madam S—— D———Toledo—Michigan—Stupid audience—Singular notice—The farmer's fife—Singular playing—Scotch melodies—Hotel Augier, at Cleveland—Ghost—Sandusky—Patti frightened—Embalmed bodies—Zanesville—Soldiers among the audience—Sandusky—Warrant of arrest—Zanesville to Columbus—Prisoners of war—A Virginian—American defect of judgment on art—Blind Tom—Criticism on article in 'Atlantic Monthly'—Note of 'Pattes de Mouche,'—Intense cold at Cleveland—Unpleasant experience—Meals at hotels—Madison, Wisconsin—Archbishop of Cincinnati preaches against the theatre—The state of religion in the United States—Which most to be feared, the fanatics of the Bible, or the fanatics of Rome—Puritans—Funds for printing Bibles—Indianapolis—Major under arrest—Great snow storm—Men in the field without blankets—Splendid regiments of cavalry—Fine artillery—Battle of Fredericksburg going on—Singular audience—Whistling of enthusiasts—Late comers at concerts—Talking—Live on the railroad—Most memorable events of my daily existence—Richard Storrs Willis, and my engagement to be married—Not yet arrived at that blest haven—The muse—Old bachelors to be pitied—The poor dervish in the Arabian tale—Success at Chicago—Chicago most resembles New York—The ladies beautiful—Immense stores—Trade—Milwaukee—Female furrier, daughter of a Countess de ———Remarkable fact as to Russians and musicians in United States | 159 |
| CHAPTER VII. ||
| Last tour of concerts given—Their number—Effect upon me—Thoughts of the Antilles—Wish to give three concerts in one day—The first pianist who has accomplished it—Romantic cause of my failure—A class for whom the arts are only a fashionable luxury, and music an agreeable noise—Artists, how appreciated by many—Do not write for these—The disinherited by thought—Lamertine's description of music—Music a psycho-physical phenomenon—Its influence—Nature of, music—Neuralgia—Dr. Smith—Tremont House, Continental Hotel, Philadelphia—New Year's Day—A magical epoch—Letter in 'Home Journal' by a lady of Indianapolis—Approbation of a mother of my 'Berceuse' ('Cradle Song')—Never more delightfully affected—Letter signed "Mrs. Frank Smith"—'Berceuse,' why composed | 174 |
| CHAPTER VIII. ||
| Springfield (Illinois)—St. Nicholas Hotel!—Tribulations and mortifications—Concert at Washington—Great success—General Herron from New Granada—Soldiers present—Reminded of Schiller's 'Wallenstein'—Squint-eyed gentleman—Glad to know the man who could make twenty-five percussions in a second—Go to General Wadsworth's camp—Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, desires to see me, as a Louisianian faithful to the Constitution—Baron Mercier's house burned—Madam, the Baroness, borrows stockings from Madam Rigo—Take the oath of allegiance—Horror of slavery made me emancipate my negroes—Recognize but one principle, that of the Constitution—South leans upon two political errors—No illusions regarding the negro—Alexandria—Marshall House Hotel—Colonel Ellsworth | 186 ​ |
| CHAPTER IX. ||
| Pianistomonambulist!—My destiny—Public physiognomy—Why is the audience one day enthusiastic, another day cold?—Germans or Dutch?—Subscribers to 'Mason's Musical World,' 'Dwight's Journal,' 'Home Journal'—Fancy but one public—Young girls from the boarding-school, the most interesting element—'Last Hope' and 'Pastorella'—The fabricated Beethoven—The great dead! how many little crimes committed in their name!—Chopin—Fashion—The pagan of art—Fetish worshippers—Rhetoricians of Byzantium—The self-made Aristarchus—Hoffman and beer—Beethoven, Liszt, and long hair—Opinion of myself—My existence for fifteen months that of a carpet-bag—How avoid becoming brutalized—Commenced writing notes of travel—My pocket books—Discreet friends—Their pages like the side of an obelisk—Only an American, and a pianist—Elmira—Length of hours on Sunday—Sunday in America—Zeal of the Bible societies—Tract societies—The good man in the Sunday train between New York and Philadelphia—How I spent Sunday at Elmira—Piano forbidden—Sunday at Cape May—Rev. Mr. Beecher—The present generation of Beechers—Williamsport, Pa.—Millinery and ice cream—Newspaper publisher and patent medicines—The town in commotion—Rebels marching on the capital—General Lee—Federal general-in-chief not to be accused of want of skill—Large extent of territory embraced by the war—McClellan and Quaker guns—General Scott's opinion of Lee—Despatch from the Governor of Pennsylvania—Volunteer military band—All Germans—United by their hatred of time—Great consternation—Patriotic meetings organized—Concert—Madam Strakosch—Family of the Pattis—Barili—Carlo Pattl—What a family!—An incomparable young man crosses the hall on tiptoe—Advised putting off concert at Harrisburg—General Ewell—Stuart of Lee's cavalry—Woman's imagination—Her influence at times to be deplored—Conduct of Southern women—Strong-minded women of New England—Females of New Orleans—My friend's statement—General Butler—Miss Beauregard—Lady De Forli—Charlotte Corday | 190 ​ |
| CHAPTER X. ||
| Williamsport—Fresh telegram from Governor—Guards to hurry to defence of capital—My cousins—One in the Northern, another in the Southern army—Hagerstown in the possession of the Confederates—On the road to Harrisburg—Everybody frightened—What shall we do?—Concert out of question—Road obstructed by freight trains, wagons of all sorts, etc.—Train stops on middle of the bridge over the Susquehanna—Great anxiety—Women, dead with fright, do not cease talking—Tired of suspense—Strakosch, Madam Amelia Patti, and myself get out of the cars—Station encumbered by mountains of trunks—Discover my two pianos—Chickering Sons—Three thousand men at work on the intrenchments—Clergy place themselves at the disposition of the Governor for defence of the city—Troops from New Jersey and New York—New York reporters—Sensational news—Dinner, gentlemen!—The poor blacks—Cattle driven towards the mountains—General Milroy defeated—A young man just killed on the fortifications—Report concerning McClellan—Know McClellan—Old men, women, and children leaving the city—Murmurs against Philadelphia—Beauregard's factotum and barber—Kamon—His singular history—A little Spanish boy adopted by me in Spain—The tocsin sounds—Bands parade the streets—What does military enthusiasm amount to?—Which side is truth?—Jefferson Davis on one side, and Lincoln on the other, order thanks to the Almighty—The panic increases—A general sauve qui peut—All kinds of vehicles put into requisition—Train leaves in a few minutes—Great confusion—Curse my gallantry—Ladies give no thanks for courtesies rendered—At Philadelphia—Leave for New Brunswick—Concert at New London—Drawing for recruits commenced—Irish resist—Rioters burn railroad bridge at Harlem—Troops ordered from Morris's Island—'Tribune' office burned—Presented with basket of flowers—Fitchburgh—Nashua—News of taking of Port Hudson received—Manchester—Forced to give up concert | 208 |
| CHAPTER XI. ||
| On a tour—Mademoiselle Cordier, Brignoli, Carlo Patti, Behrens, Max Strakosch, Ashforth—Behren's weaknesses—Devivo, Levy—A blessing to hotel proprietors—A tempest of snow—Rockford—Young ladies' seminaries—Cultivating the mind and improving the taste imperative among American women—Prefer our system of educating women to that of Europe—A sleigh ride—Its disagreeableness—Winter true season for inspiration—Sacrifice myself—End of the ride a seminary of young girls—Germans and spectacles—Curiosity of the young girls—'Maiden's Prayer'—Female servants—Harvard—Tempest of snow—Agreeable surprise—O civilization!—Rash judgment and agreeable surprise—Return to the cars—Strakosch was nearly frozen—Have to pass the night at Harvard—Fifty or sixty passengers—Disabled soldiers, etc.—Reminded of a storm at sea—Terrible condition of things—Obtain lodgings at the postmaster's—The postmaster and his family—Poverty, but not want—Europe cannot understand the character of the American farmer—Good night—Condition on awaking—The trapper's signs of cold winter—Muskrats and trout—Sick young soldier—Anxiety for him—Noble hearts in this world of dollars and cents—Suffering from the cold of men and cattle—Milwaukee impossible | 221 ​ |
| CHAPTER XII. ||
| Adrian, Michigan—Infamous concert—One dollar admission!—Three weeks' rest in New York—Washington's birthday—New series of concerts—After which, extreme West—Placed 'Union,' great enthusiasm—Bridgeport—Tom Thumb and Barnum—Concert in New York—Hartford—Singular conversation between two ladies—Boston—Most English in appearance—The aristocratic city—Cambridge and her poets—Boston organ—Mr. Perkins and Beethoven—Fremont Hall; the best for hearing, and most magnificent in the world—Providence—Aristocratic city—Its founder—Large audience—Sunday—Julius Eichberg—Mason's new organs—Boston Institution for Deaf and Dumb—Presents from the deaf and dumb—-Letter from Laura Bridgeman, deaf, dumb, and blind—Springfield—Small audience—Curious accident while playing—Arrive in New York—Debut of Miss Harris, young American prima donna—Play quatuor of Beethoven—New Haven—Yale College—Puritanism disappearing in New England—Episcopalians and Lent—Stamford—Two large colleges for young girls—Re-appearance of Brignoli—The tenor par excellence—Mirate, Mario—Mazzolini—Character of his voice—What pleases the public—'Ione,' success of—To what owing—Timidity of Brignoli—His indisposition in second act of 'Somnambula'—Lotti, a young German tenor—An ovation—Excitement of the New York exquisites—Brignoli's stag's head and horns—His fear of the 'evil eye'—Deplorable concert—Silence, when—"Short and sweet"—Only concert where pieces not encored—Musical celebrities who have succeeded me—"Sam"—"Charley such a one, first-rate drummer who can't be beat"—Anomalies in credulity of Americans—Manners of children at table—Manners of men, from being "too manly"—If polite, trifles attended to, less shameful degradation—Matinée at New York—Large audience—Departure of first negro regiment for the war—Paterson, New Jersey—Nine tickets—New Jersey poorest place in the world to give concerts in—Examples—Harry Sanderson's experience—Ignoble observation—The French philosopher right—Concert in New York for benefit of Harrison—German opera broken up for want of money—Fine concert at Philadelphia—Liberal movement making way—New York, play with Sanderson—Reasons for being proud of him—Norwalk—Sanitary fairs everywhere—Unfortunate prejudice—Appreciated at our value!!—Handsomest little hall in the United States—Amiable audience, warm, intelligent, elegant—Charms which turn the heads of pianists—"Dear Norwalk, I love you"—Stamford, bad impressions of—Norwalk—No good segars—Leave for Boston—Trunks left behind—Concert at Boston, play badly—Madam Anna Bishop—Her illustrious husband—'Home, Sweet Home'—Her great popularity in the United States—Sunday—Ennui, ennui, ennui | 231 ​ |
| CHAPTER XIII. ||
| Leave for Norwich—Travelling music master—Arrive at Norwich—Professor Whittleny introduces himself—Singular personage—'Music Vale'—A greater amateur of whiskey than of music—New London—Ratio of churches—Questionable taste—Leave Philadelphia for Baltimore—Madam Variani, Edward Hoffman—Richard Hoffman—'Dwight's paper'—A bilious reservoir—Required by the musical profession—En route for Baltimore—Noisy soldiers—Their vulgar behaviour—On furlough—Officers say no right to control them—Bad effects of whiskey—Concert at Baltimore—Love for Baltimore and its people—Their love for art—Concert at Washington—Swedish Minister, Count Pieper—Been to Alexandria—Desolation everywhere—Concert—Adventure on road back to Washington—Strakosch and the German sergeant—Concert at Washington—The President and his lady—Mrs. Lincoln—Lincoln does not wear gloves—Mrs. B and daughter—Concert at Washington—Lieutenant-General Grant and staff—Grant made Lieutenant-General—Madam Variani sings 'Star Spangled Banner'—Encored by gallery filled with soldiers—Parterre, boxes, and orchestral stalls abstain from demonstration—Sympathize with South—Leave for Harrisburg—Been prevented seven or eight times from giving concerts there—Description of Harrisburg—Concert at Court-house—Complexion of the ladies—Pianists, beware!—Charming audience—Civilization outraged by the gong—A regiment of veterans—Adventure of Mademoiselle Vestvali, 'the superb'—"He never plays but his own music"—Like the white man in the midst of negroes—An afflicting gift—What Berlioz said—Criticism—Rachel—Mr. De Cordova—Description of Lancaster—Chubby-faced children—German manners—Change of weather—Concert at Harrisburg—Governor and Secretary of State present—Observation—Difference between East and West—Pennsylvania more polite than some of her brilliant sisters—Bethlehem—Villages, towns in miniature—Magnificent concert—Moravian church and seminary—A wager—A professor of music!—But little swearing and drunkenness | 242 |
| CHAPTER XIV. ||
| Concert at Easton—Artists' room—Ladies and gentlemen of Bethlehem accompany me—'Cradle Song' sung in the train—Patti singing high tenor—Young girls dancing to late hour—Leave Bethlehem—Waving of handkerchiefs from seminary—Sad sights at station—Contingent of conscripts—Sad partings—The German conscript—"Dear Catherine, God, God bless thee"—The right of these fatherless families upon us all—Arrived at Baltimore—My good friends the Curletts—Sunday at high mass—'Agnus Dei' sung by Mrs. —— —An old maid who did police duty—The mischievous one—Scapegraces—Fortress Monroe—Oath of fidelity—How taken—Shoemaker stationer and music seller—Mawkish English songs developed by the war—Melodies adapted to them absurd—Norfolk ruined, spared the 'Maiden's Prayer'—A confession—'The Battle Cry of Freedom' ought to become our national air—Sadly heroic—Certain judgments, how formed—Slander and calumny—The first falls, the latter nursed by the jealous—Mazzolini—Ovation to Brignoli—Beethoven as symphonist, as composer for the piano—Beethoven imperfectly knew the piano—Raphael—A most singular, incomprehensible, and most disagreeable thing—Captain Clark—An absurd accusation—The colonel with a voice of a hippopotamus—The Captain Clarks are numerous—O the sword!—Third concert—O poor muse!—Major Darling—General Butler and his family—Interior of Fortress Monroe—Arrival at Baltimore—Concert of amateurs—Reading, Pennsylvania—Good concert—Gas goes out—Shoemaker of the town plays fantasy on the flute to his own and the public's satisfaction—Knights of the Golden Circle—Leave for Williamsport—Pennsylvania the richest of the States—Feel hungry—Behrens and Delmonico—Arrive at Williamsport—Despatch to Strakosch—Public will be cheated this evening | 254 ​ |
| CHAPTER XV. ||
| Elmira—Oswego—Leave for Scranton—Road obstructed—When Irishmen will cease drinking whiskey—Mr. Catlin, Theophile Gautier—Conversation one hundred miles apart—Arrive at Scranton—How an audience are kept in hopes—Concert at Binghamton—Small but charming audience—O pianists, be distrustful of amateurs—Newburg—Frightful tragedy—Not eighty persons at concert—A town in France where a concert never succeeds—Enthusiasm of audience in ratio of the receipts—Sympathy of amateurs—Anglo-Saxon imagination not sufficiently active—Leave Newburg—A Bloomer—Do not believe in women who assert their rights—Sour grapes—Liszt, Chopin, and the Germans—Chopin's mazourkas, etc., are epidemic in the United States—Schenectady—Detestable concert—Troy—Popular in some towns not at all in others—Concert at Brooklyn—Steinway and Chickering—Guelphs and Ghibellines—Poughkeepsie—Charming place—Amusing typographical errors—College Hill—Intelligent Yankee turns seminary into college—His success—Behrens's appetite and puns—Rutland—Very fine concert—'Last Hope'—Vermont marble quarries—Splendid country—Behrens's unlucky idea—Awakened by the sheriff—Arrive at Burlington—Carlo Patti missing—Very brilliant concert—Artist reflects humour of his audience—What I have often heard—Lake Champlain—The Bishop of Burlington and slavery—Bishop Potter on slavery—Poor Bible—Children and the Bible—What Puritanic anatomy only recognizes—Plattsburg—We are engaged by a speculator—Excellent hotel, Fouguet—Travelling in winter on the ice—Magnificent concert—Left again—Perceive we are approaching Canada—Canadian French—Two squaws—Montreal—Patti and the Secessionists—Nothing more odious than a hybrid patriot—"The Constitution as it was"—"Fools that you are"—Those who trade in a thing, generally those who use it the least—Behrens morose—A mad naturalist—His theory—My belief, the artist a victim—How ducks and geese are treated in Alsace—Artists like the ducks and geese—A truce to poor jokes—Behrens and the influence over him of the "eternal ham and eggs"—How a vagabond company dines | 264 ​ |
| CHAPTER XVI. ||
| Back from the concert—Beautiful effect of elegantly dressed ladies—English officers dressed to attract attention—Know nothing more ill-bred than a fashionable Englishman, unless it be two fashionable Englishmen—Second concert, all pieces encored—'Sunshine Patti'—What a beautiful thing medicine is!—Arrive at Prescott—Eight years ago—Madame de Lagrange—Invited to take lunch—Unknown name—Enchanted house—Its mistress—An infantile impression—Granddaughter of Vespuccius—Stranded on the banks of the St. Lawrence—Not treated with respect—Envious mothers—Rubini—Madame Merlin—What has become of her—Concert—Not a large audience but sympathetic—Arrested—Admirable candour of the justice of the peace—Justice well administered!—Spleen—Embark from Kingston for Cape St. Vincent—Strakosch sea-sick—A capsized schooner—Reminded of the death of a horse in a bull fight—Land at Cape St. Vincent—A landlord's welcome—Reach Watertown—Give concert at seven o'clock on account of workingmen's ball—Tired out—Utica—Beautiful churches—Asylum for the insane—Head physician one of our friends—Concert and warm audience—Sleep at hospital by invitation of the doctor—Spiritual manifestations—The haunted house—The two young men—Oneida community—Invited to visit them—Fifteen hundred acres of strawberries—Syracuse—Bad hotel—Railroad crossings—A providence for American railways—Syracuse always gives me a good audience—Oswego remarkable for its situation—Always play with pleasure at Oswego—Do not conclude the receipts good—One thing money cannot rule—Geneva—Lakes of New York—A dyspeptic English musician—Auburn—Charming battalion of young girls—"I have not yet heard one air"—The general who recognizes but two airs—A relation by one of my friends—'Home, Sweet Home'—Auburn—"Deafening racket he makes with his piano"—O critics!—Catholic church—Execrable music—Rochester—Charming town—Should like to transport some of my audiences to Europe—Feminine type in the United States superior to that of Europe—Their influence on men—Most charming types of women at Rochester—The element I fear the most in my concerts—Joy of the pianisticules—Mr. X., a supposition—Always the same song—Those who have nothing to lose are fools—Monte Mayer and Newton a fool—I know an ass!—Voltaire's apostrophe | 277 ​ |
| CHAPTER XVII. ||
| Leave Rochester—Recommend 'Congress hall'—Arrive at Lockport—Pours rain—Few at concert—Did my best—My principle—Who not a true artist—Inspiration independent of will—Set out again for Canada—That cursed gong—Custom everything—Another leaf torn from the tree of my illusions—Catholic church—Contrast between the sermon and the facts—A dreary month of May—A diatribe against fashionable music—Not as elevated as the music of the Christy minstrels—Neglect of our agent—Insult—Conversation between Strakosch and editor—Strakosch's revenge—I pity future artists—Four hundred concerts and forty thousand miles by rail—Alexandre Dumas's son and the wager—I suffer the same—In my heaven no pianos—My notions of hell—If Dante had known of the piano—When retarded on the road, and telegram arrived too late, what is done—'N. B.'—Characteristic trait of an American audience—The 'Cradle Song' for two pianos!!—'Marche du Prophète' with flageolet and guitar accompaniment—Probability—Error in 'Home journal'—What I claim, and what my detractors can say—From the height of my eighty thousand miles I defy the world—Anecdotes of Kalkbrenner and others—Stamaty my teacher for seven years—Cité d'Orleans, Paris—An artists' hive—Zimmerman—Formed all the pianists of the French school—Refuses me admission to the Conservatoire, saying that America was the country of railroads, but not of musicians—Dantan the sculptor—George Sand—Chopin—Count —— —Orfila—Ridicules Kalkbrenner—Orfila's anecdote—Distinguished guests!—Orflla—The cholera—Rigorous diet—The doctors asses—The proof—Apparent death of Orfila—Since his death disgusted with life!—Trousseau devotes his attention to a pretty American—Boyer—Ricord—Pasquier—Maissoneuve—Nélaton—Orfila's delight in music | 289 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. ||
| Toronto, Canada—Superb concert—Conversation in an undertone—Real English gentlemen—Shock to amour propre—Polish engineer—Admirable order and neatness of English soldiers—Saint Catherine—"When tickets should be sold"—'John Marchmont's Legacy'—English romances—Money—French love—Which I prefer—Mr. Gottschoff!—"Collector of Her Majesty's customs"—Two pianos and only paid duty on one!—Official dignity offended—Am deceived—Am not Orpheus—Fifty persons applaud like five hundred—Excellent hotel—Utilitarianism and practical spirit of Americans—Audacious marvel of science—Strakosch's wit—Who pays for it—The terrible editor—Candid admission—Splendid concert at Buffalo—Canada—What a frightful country—Essentially Catholic—Irish and French—What French!—Oblate Fathers—Despair for humanity—Quebec—'Les Sagneurs'—Population of Lower Canada—Its character—The sermon at high mass—What is forbidden—The college students—The Pope a martyr—Garibaldi a highway robber—Play, whistle, and sing 'Dixie'—French pronunciation—Names in Lower Canada—Again travelling, after long repose—The kind of repose—Charity concerts and lady patronesses—Saratoga—'The Associated Company of Artists,' Testa and wife—Stefani, Amodio, Madame Lorini, Maestro Behrens, Devivo—'Lucrezia,' 'The Puritans,' and 'Trovatore' all played in two and a half hours for fifty cents—'Lucrezia' at Bellevue (Canada)—Ridiculous scenes—Sucess of the English corporal, notwithstanding a note too high—Esprit de corps—Poor Behrens—Providence going behindhand—Boston, great success—Morelli—Axiom of the Verdistas—Hartford—Faces to make false notes—L—— —Adieu, Boston!—What your enemies say—What I say—Longfellow—Mr. D.—No traditions in America—Who more or less like—Ticknor & Fields, Hawthorne, Hunt, Holmes, Whittier—Fields and the intelligent aristocracy of Boston—Fields's generous hospitality—Portrait of Longfellow and wife—Portrait of Tennyson—Compared with Longfellow's—Fields's collection of autographs—Dickens's manuscript— What like—How perfection and simplicity aimed at—What Boston possesses and New York does not—Maoenic New York—Opera in New York—How killed—Harrisburg—Charming audience—Pittsburg—Brilliant concert—"Poor little thing!" | 300 ​ |
| CHAPTER XIX. ||
| Harrisburg to Pittsburg by night—Among soldiers—Deficiencies in our civilization—Aristocratic privileges in favour of the rich, of all aristocracies the most absurd—What I demand—'Ladies' cars'—Trollope—Insolence of employés—Conductors in the West—Would it not be better to correct ourselves?—Pittsburg the Birmingham of the United States—Petroleum wells—The young Englishman—The German tailor—Great gains—Mr. M., music publisher—Cleveland (Ohio)—Always found it dull—Cleveland devoted to bad hotels—Bill of fare ostentatious, food not eatable—Chicago—Has material civilization of New York—Splendid concert—Astonished at development of musical taste in United States—Before me no piano concerts, except in peculiar cases—American taste becoming purer—The playing of a generation of young girls—Cleveland ought to have a better hotel—Aptitude of Americans for commerce marvellous—What Benvenuto Cellini, if born in the United States, would not have done—Lamartine poor—United States only country where a sort of public recognition given to a rich man—Understanding civilization after the Chinese manner—Sandusky—Concert quite good—Tickets for 'the show' and 'panorama!'—Johnson's Island—Twenty-five hundred Southern prisoner's confined there—Swiss in train from Clyde—His grape vines and wine—Grant born at Sandusky—The old man—A poor farmer talks poetry—Remarkable condition of things in the United States—He is well versed in literature of the Bible—Would have delighted M. de Lamartine—Set out for Toledo—Great contrast between the West and the East—Great contempt for fashion and neatness—Chicago always the city of the West—Moore and Smith's new hall inaugurated—Hall crammed, audience cold—'Tremont House'—Second concert large, brilliant, and enthusiastic—The farmer who owns seventy-three thousand acres of arable land—Sold in one lot twenty thousand head of cattle—Talk of gigantic canal—New Academy of Music being built by Crosby—Notice to artists without engagements—Attacked for playing Chickering's pianos—Honest editor not au fait in matter of concerts—Thalberg and Erard's pianos—Chopin and Pleyel's—Liszt and Erard's—Reasons why—Why I like Chickering's—Sandusky—Hotel and bill of fare—Detroit—Population—Frightful accent—Dangerous neighbourhood—En route for Peoria—The Frenchman and his monkey—Idaho—Fighting with the Indians—Very ugly place—The platform gives a vertigo—Emigration to the West—Where going—Cincinnati—Burnet House, dirty and dear—Physiognomy of Western people—Their free and easy behaviour | 312 ​ |
| CHAPTER XX. ||
| Kreutzer sonata of Beethoven—Newspaper criticism—Mozart Hall—Experience of the Swedish doctor—Excessive cold—'Mont Blanc' and 'Young Men's Association' at Detroit—St. Louis—Detention on railroad—Common roads—The true cause—Cold intense—The 'Lindell House'—Should like it better if—Morelli and I search for a restaurant—The artist's intention—Inspired artist like a key-board—Springfield, Illinois—Audience listen, but too late!—Hypocrisy and vanity!—Sermon at St. Louis—Bloomington (Illinois)—"Do you want the portrait of Chuckle and his wife?"—Two poor nuns—All chambers taken!—Lie down on the floor—Joliet, last year theatre of a scandalous action—What a tour in the West requires—Fair concert at Joliet—Curious incident—Dohler relates his interviews—Set out again—The placard, caution!—Christy Minstrels' Advertisement—The dead horse covered with placards—American lures—Kalamazoo (Michigan)—Excellent hotel—Charming concert—Respectable audience—Leave for Ann Arbor—State University—The famous singer, Goodstock!—London, Canada—Concert—Canadian receipts—The 1st of January—Mr. Edmund Harris and family—Praise of Morelli—The telegraphic dispatch—The knight of the razor—Leave for New York by first train—Passports required—Harrisburg—Concert in court-room—Siberian cold—Artists' room—Dayton (Ohio)—Excellent audience—Fine example of cold on human nature—The letter at Bethlehem—The concert at Wilmington, Delaware—Muzio visits the music store—My violin—Headache—The letter from the ladies—Want of delicacy—Two stories—The Gascon—The paralytic lady and the Englishman | 323 |
| CHAPTER XXI. ||
| Toledo—Oliver House, one of best in the United States—New York—Heard Miss Kellogg for first time—Charming artist—A matter of pride—Powers, Palmers, Miss Stebbins, Church, Bierstadt, etc.— Poe's tales—Cooper—Irving—That clique of imbeciles—What they say—Raphael and Fornarina—Byron—Let me be understood—Rembrandt—Victor Hugo—Dickens—Works of the artist not responsible for his private life—New York Philharmonic—Poor Poe—The mute instruments—Dunkirk—Conversation between two ladies—Another amusing thing at St. Louis—truth, why art thou not petroleum!—Superb concert at Rochester—Batavia—Erie—Struck with a snow ball—No enthusiasm, reason why—Erie to Lockport, off the rails—Invariable phrase of the conductor—Lockport faithful to its tradition—Utica, as always—Visited all my good friends—S—— —Dr. K—— —Visited insane asylum—Aunt Libbey—Her dress—The Queen of England enchanted to visit her—Playing and singing in the Asylum—Aunt Libby plays—L——'s consternation—The lady betrothed to Gen. Washington, and bequeathed by him to all the presidents of the United States—Buffalo—Charming audience Syracuse cold—What the newspaper says—What warms up an audience—Commencement of concert like first stage of a grand dinner—Audience and artist—What features!—My Sappho—What a fall—Leave for California with Muzio and wife—"I will make a trip to South America"—When are you going?—Impressario and the placards—Oh! ho! I thought you had left—Disappointed fellow artists—Smith, Jenny Lind's agent—The predestined one—Farewell concerts at New York—Embark on third April on board of Ariel—Parting—Sea sickness—four hundred passengers—Most heterogeneous assemblage—Singers and actors and United States marshal—Judge—Lawyers—Senators and doctors—Ministers, who preach officially and officiously—Flirtation—Two brides—Life on board—Bill of fare | 336 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXII. ||
| Land in sight—Aspinwall—Negro porters—Negress fruit sellers—Howard hotel and the piano—Train leaves—The road—Farmers' huts—Arrive at Panama—Laziness of inhabitants—Houses and cathedral, all dilapidated—An adroit prestidigitateur—Apathy, laziness, and filth everywhere—Steamer Constitution—Heat excessive—Isle of Pearls—Pearl fishing dangerous—Not slept for three days—the 'squatters' worse than mosquitoes—'B flats'—The steward—Resembles hotel at St. Louis—Dull monotony on ship board—Heat like that of a lead foundry—Air, air, I suffocate!—Episcopal service—New bride appears oftenest where husband is not—Passengers find their level—Singers quarrel—Harmony among musicians impossible—One hour and a half at table—The dinner—Between the courses I go on deck—Geographical dictionary taken for a Bible—Honeymoon and threats of a revolver—Acapulco, Mexico—Take in coal here—Indians and canoes—Bay infested by sharks—The little Indian girl—Bad luck to me—Hermoso cavallero looks like a pin-cushion— Houses, streets, and cathedral—The 'Padre'—The paper above the image of a saint—Ex-votos—Immobility everywhere—The guard house—Questions—Don Diego Alvarez—Louisiana Hotel and its landlord—But one nation, humanity, but one country, the globe—The landlord, an old Frenchman—Recounts all his affairs—What he said of the little prodigy Gottschalk—Recommends his tavern—The thin waiter—Ah! Paris, sir—Discovery, the landlord's wife—The son of Don Juan Alvarez, his wife and daughter—How dressed—Steamer in sight—The 'Golden City'—"Lee has surrendered"—Lincoln has been assassinated—Wilkes Booth—Affecting sight on board the Constitution—Women those who show the least regrets—The judge weeps as if he had lost a father—All the men crushed, overwhelmed—Women's irrational impulses—Men and women compared—The female secessionist—The meeting on board—Presided over by Judge Field of the Supreme Court of the United States—An apostrophe on Lincoln—Hymn of the Republic by the Italian singers—I play my piece 'Union'—Fog—Singular impatience of passengers | 349 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXIII. ||
| Shall be at San Francisco to-day—Seal Rock—The 'Cliff House'—Fort 'Alcatraz'—The 'Golden Gate'—Baj- of San Francisco—Transcends the bays of Naples and Constantinople—Arrival—Recognition of friends—Man overboard—The magic word, 'Home'—"Is Gottschalk on board?"—People disappointed at my appearance—Alcibiades, Socrates, Phryne—Crowds have only instinct—King Louis Philippe and Louis Napoleon—How the popularity of Louis Napoleon began—Mr. Badger, Chickering's agent—Cosmopolitan Hotel—The dust in San Francisco—The 'Cosmopolitan' a magnificent edifice—Chickering piano in ladies' parlour—The waiters—The bill of fare—Not easily caught—Brillat Savarin—Cookery, music, and painting in the United States—The Indian and piano—Mr. D——, of Boston—Do you understand my comparison?—The best singer in the world, now known!—The Indian, always the Indian—Description of San Francisco—Theatres, etc.—Maguire—Zoyara, the hermaphrodite—Cafes more magnificent than those of New York—California wine—Markets of San Francisco—Fruits—Mines of copper, silver, and gold inexhaustible—Opals—Signs of petroleum—Mining victims—Expenses and never-ending robberies beggar those who undertake mining—Rate of interest in California—Admiral Dupont and his lawsuit—Mr. Lick—Great advance in real estate—Messrs. Badger and Linderberger—Is music much cultivated?—Concerts at San Francisco never succeeded—Ole Bull and Strakosch—Paul Julien—Circus flourishes—Miss Ada Menken—The Chinese, Sam Kee, druggist—My introduction to him, his suspicions—The rich Chinese and his daughter—Attempt to carry her off—Besiegers put to flight—She is sent back to China | 362 |
| CHAPTER XXIV. ||
| Introduced to M. de Gazette, French consul—Unfortunate creatures—One of the Crœsuses of San Francisco—French commercial houses—Small number of pretty women—Maguire's Opera—Morelli—Do not admire Verdi to excess—First representation of 'Ernani' at Paris—Madame Mennechet de Barival—To criticise an opera and to compose one, two different things—Advice to pianisticules—Wanting a pianist—'Tannhauser' arranged by myself for fourteen pianos—Must never put off a concert—God protect you, O artists! from the fathers of amateurs, from the sons themselves, and from the fathers of female singers—The rehearsal, found out what I had to rely on—Horrible position—Serious thought of putting off the concert—My tuner's stratagem—My orders—Great success—My amateur was superb! his friends in raptures—Encore, encore—Disobeys my orders and finds his piano mute—His countenance—Secret at last discovered or supposed to have been—Mass at French church—The priest from Auvergne—A sermon which would have been grotesque elsewhere—Unworthy of the Catholic religion—Virginia City, Nevada territory—The hotel clerk impudently pompous—The French restaurant-keeper—Ugly town—Most inhospitable and saddest I have ever seen—Family from New Orleans and young Louisianians—Sunday—Almost inundated in my room—The firemen—"How do you find our place?"—Ill for three days—French infidels and the small virtues—Charity, generosity, and kindness—Leave for Dayton in the stage—What took place on the road—Arrive at Dayton—The hall, how lighted—Our audience— California miners—Attention, decent and tranquil—Have rarely seen a more peaceful population—My programme simple—Piano, most difficult to render comprehensive—My ride back splendid—The Indian girl and her lover—Sad fate. | 375 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXV. ||
| Leave Virginia City—Rudeness at stage office—Amiable people!—The landscape—Christianity!—The lady at the hack complains—'Dutch Flat' a pretty village—Concert—Audience very quiet—'Taken in!'—Effect of certain passages—What I perceive here—Artistic ignorance, an example of it—Sick for three days—Nowhere in Europe could I be so isolated as here—What I have done—The country of money not the one for artist—From 'Dutch Flat' to Nevada City—Adieu to my spleen—'Grass Valley' charming—Nevada City—Fine spacious hotels—Concert at Temperance Hall—The audience—Have already given twelve concerts—Fatigue and danger of these travels—California a humbug!—The thousand and one things wanting—Leave on steamer Julia for Stockton—Weber Hotel—Stockton resembles Sacramento on a small scale—Concert small—Judge Underhill—Pastor Happersett—Newspaper concludes that "I do not know how to play the piano"—Insane hospital—The German baron—Colfax—'Who then is this Goldax?'—Presented on my fête day with a splendid medal—Its description, and all the details of the presentation—Its cost—On board the Colorado—Coast of Costa Rica—Purgatory—What not!—Left San Francisco on the 18th—Heat suffocating—Magnificent moonlight scene—The passengers—King Kamehameha V. and the Sandwich Islands—Mendoza—Captain Cook—Kanak religion—Polygamy—Sisters and daughters wives—Queen Kalama—Only the mother who ennobles—Honolulu—Victoria, sister of present king—Uniform of the king—'Manzanillo,' a Mexican town—Piroques and young Mexicans—A monstrous tortoise—An imperial soldier—Acapulco—Only a small borough—The French returned here—Mexican soldiers—The general!—What town depopulated | 388 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXVI. ||
| Panama—Island of Tobago—A boat comes for us—Negro porters—Succeed in collecting my trunks—What is seen on the road—The old town—Old Jesuit college—Ruins, ruins—The cathedral—The streets—Aspinwall Hotel—Promenade on the ramparts—The Invincibles and their uniform—A concert by subscription—Cottage piano, a hybrid—The climate—The president of the State—His mother an old negress—His father, bishop of Panama—A pretty girl, daughter of the priest—The French consul, Mr. De Y Ceramic art of the Indians from Chiriqui—Golden ornaments from Chiriqui—The happy idea of the agent—Richness of excavations at Chiriqui—Horrible taste of the Spanish religion—The picture representing purgatory (?)—Superstitious farmers—How to bless the crops!—The population—Uncivilized and ignorant—Dread of foreigners—English steamer—Voyage to Lima—Holy cargo—The little Indian girl with large black eyes—Sour grapes—Good sisters sing canticles—Boat rocks singularly—Canticles interrupted—Effect on the Polish and Peruvian priests—The little Italian Lazarist—What sea-sickness is—Procession at Guatemala during Holy Week—Horrible part of it—Payta—Extraordinary aridity—Misery and filth—The ship's toilet—Effect of arrival on passengers—Little priest becomes playful—M. Fournier's reply to the abbé—In harbour, Callao, no wharf—The Peruvian monitor—Frigate 'La Numancla'—Peruvian soldiers—The sisters delighted—Appearance of Callao—Train about to start—The counterfeit coin—Waiting for gratuity—First, second, and third class cars—Everything finished here—Lima—Description of Lima—Female devotees—Organ played out of tune—Cathedral—The picture of Murillo—What has become of it?—Lima founded by Pizarro, 1535—The old manuscript—Queen Madam Jane to Marquis Francis Pizarro | 401 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. ||
| Streets of Lima, how paved—Filth and winged scavengers—Suggestion to the New York authorities—Houses and architecture—Hotels full—Refugees—Unfortunate moment for concerts—Revolution—Rebels and government—Civil war normal state of Peru—What I understand about political affairs—The outs against the ins—Corruption everywhere—Everybody lives on the government—The government robs her creditors—How the military rob the treasury—How the army is recruited—Arrogance of the military—How they pay their debts—What shall I say of Bolivia?—Cause of war between Bolivia and Peru—President Mezarijo a ferocious beast—Peru and public schools—"God protect us from religious liberty!"—When they construct railroads—Hate innovation, and go backward—Hatred for foreigners—What I said—Peruvian character—The government a military oligarchy—Unbridled corruption—Examination of Spanish American governments—The people who cry out against monarchy!—What they submit to—Battle of Lima —My friend Dupeyron—'Benediction des Poignards'—Letter to Mr. Dupeyron—Awakened by noise of firing—The fighting—Battery of artillery under our windows—What I see from behind the blinds—A ball lodged in the balcony—Horrible tumult—Battle continues—Indian musicians and soldiers—O Christian charity!—Heap of slain—The little gamin—The wounded—The Parisian joker—His care for the wounded—Dupeyron and the women everywhere—Charity, is she not feminine?—The dying Indian and the monk—Palace on fire—Sacking commenced—Those who surrendered assassinated—The revolutionary troops—Screams of the wounded—Whole army of Canzeco defiles—Description of them— No one found willing to assist the wounded—What do you teach in your convents?—French miscreants (!) assist with devotion—Those nice fellows who take the communion | 413 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. ||
| Escape of Gomez Sancliez—Continue to bring in the wounded—Lima lady attends the sick—The priest missing—"Ah! little mother, am I dying?"—Fort of Santa Catalina not surrendered—Narrow escape of my piano—A charming young girl killed—The Monteneros—Another battle probable—Fried potatoes of the 'Barrière de Clichy'—Things taking an alarming turn—The fort still holds out—The dead and wounded—Sad effects of civil war—Santa Catalina surrendered—What will become of us?—Details of flight of Gomez Sanchez—Fears realized as to my concerts—Garden of Otaiza—The Peruvian Mabille—How the difliculty was overcome—Composition on 'Le Ballo in Maschera'—Eve of war with Spain—My concerts finished—My success—The superb decoration presented to me—Sea baths at Chorillos—Civil war in Spain—Raymondi, an Italian savant—The coca and its marvellous effects—How used—Embark for Islay, port of Arequipa—The desert and the Tambos—Arequipeños—Their indomitable character—City of Arequipa—Islay to Arequipa a herculean journey—The landing at Islay—Am known—The young children and Indian girl bathing— Arica—La Paz—Tacna—Trying to persuade me to go to Bolivia—One hundred and eighty leagues on mules, and no hotels—No danger—Convoys of silver—Honesty of the Indians—Troop of Spanish actors at Arica—Singularly tempted—Arica, its fortifications and church—A decree of Prados—The commandant-general—His campaigns in the interior—Arrival of Indians from Bolivia—The cholo of Peru—Soirée at X——'s—Society at Tacna—The only aristocracy among parvenues and republicans, that of wealth—What I find ridiculous—Pretty women and dancing—The mecapaquenâ, how danced—The wife of X—— | 429 |
| CHAPTER XXIX. ||
| Descendants of the Incas—Prejudice against the Indians—The wife of X., a descendant from the Cacique Huascar—Her marvellous beauty when young—Bolivar—Compared with Washington—His character—His stay at Tacna—'The pearl of Tacna' and Bolivar—The romance—A tragical history—Pass the evening with a Swiss merchant—Charming evening—Invited to eat game taken on the Tacora—Second concert at Tacna—The stolen horse and the Indians of Bolivia—Tricks of robbers—False singing of the old Spanish priest—The accompaniment—The playing of the old Indian—No regard to the key in which the priest was singing—Plans changed by bombardment of Valparaiso—Bolivia open before me—Three hundred miles in the interior—Desert and Andes—What travellers over the Andes exposed to!—Caravan of French travellers—Crimes of Bolivia—An invitation—Character of the Indians—The port of Arica and the caravans— The President of Bolivia, Señor General Melgarejo—His character—A sort of tiger—Curious customs of the Indians of Tacna—Indian bride complains that her husband did not whip her!—Their humility and submission—The market and church—Preparing for Easter Sunday—'Tristos' a musical instrument—Tradition respecting its invention—Last concert at Valparaiso—Presentation by municipal council with golden crown and gold medal—Copiapo—The large, lean, shabby man—Dined with him at the French consul's—His death and burial—His history—Occupied distinguished rank in the French army—Our difficulties at the funeral—The corpse deposited—The custom | 444 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXX. ||
| The desert of Atacama—Silver mine of 'Buena Esperanza'—Invited by the manager to visit the mine—The distance from Copiapo—Decided to go—La Marca, the banker, and the stolen pistol—The journey—'Pueblo de Indios'—Indians and cigarettes—The two horsemen—Our fears—Our first relay 'Chulo'—The rediscovered mine and the murder—The mine again lost—Character of the road—The hovel of Chulo—The chamber reserved for us—Our host—Beefsteak, fresh eggs, and goats' milk—The kitchen—Supper served up—Billet's coifee—Details of manners—The invariable routine—Leave Copiapo and Valparaiso—Great animation on board—Bride and groom—Disappearance and torture—Straits of Magellan—The Fuegians—Military penal colony of Chili, Punta Arena—Mr. Riobo, the governor—The Franciscan and the Englishman—English corvette Spiteful—The officers and the Indians—Doctor Phillipi killed and eaten—Palace of the government—Inhabitants of Punta Arenas—The leopards—The guanaco—The governor's escape—Coal and auriferous quartz—A family of Patagonians—Their appearance—Kanucha—The most beautiful girl turns out a handsome boy—A second squad—Queen Nata—Her baby—Montevideo—Mr. D'Hote and the Parisian bouffes—Début at Argentine theatre in the bavards of Offenbach—Cause of non-success!—The cholera—Political events—The son of Dictator Flores of Montevideo—Fortunato Flores—The old bogy of Montevideo—An assassin and bandit—Salutary fear of the United States—I make a conquest of him—He canes the minister of foreign affairs—Exiled for two years—Remains in Europe seven days—Consternation at his return—Takes the grade of colonel—The supper—His brothers—Horrible conduct—Rises against his father—Old Flores flies—Action of the foreigners—The hostage—Father Flores reinstated—The terms | 456 ​ |
| CHAPTER XXXI. ||
| Fortunato assassinates a Frenchman and re-embarks—Leaves for Europe—Ignominious fall of Prado, dictator of Peru—He is a wretch—I had to suffer from him—The only safeguard of citizens of the United States—Revolution in Bolivia—No one willing to bury the dead priest—The gaucho, lasso, and dead priest—The clergy rapacious, cowardly, etc.—Sisters of Charity alone devoted—Cassocked bandits of South America—They raise the price of sepulture—Order of the municipality—The people of the Argentine republic the sink—The public treasury a milch-cow—Spanish-American republics—What!—Buenos Ayres—The saddest country in the world—Montevideo—Writing my grand 'Tarantelle'—Count Gioanninni to present it to the princess—Ditson, and 'Seven Octaves'—Note | 471 |
| Conclusion | 477 |
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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