Stereotyped by Vincent Dill, Jr.,
Nos. 21 & 23 Ann Street, N. Y.

In the following series of Nouvellettes, something higher hasbeen attempted than merely the production of amusing fictions.Each is founded on incidents that really occurred in the artist’slife, and presents an illustration of his character and the styleof his works. The conversations introduced embody criticalremarks on the musical compositions of great masters; theobject being to convey valuable information on this subject—solittle studied or known except among the few devoted to theart—in an attractive form. The view given of the scope andtendency of the works of different artists, and their relation topersonal character, may also enforce a striking moral; showingthe elevating influence of virtue, and the power of vice todistort even the loveliest gift of Heaven into a curse and reproach.Of the tales—“Tartini,” “Two Periods in the Lifeof Haydn,” “Mozart’s First Visit to Paris,” “The Artist’sLesson,” “The Mission of Genius,” “The Young Tragedian,”and “Tamburini,” only are original; the others areadapted from the “Kunstnovellen” of Lyser and Rellstab.The sketch of the great pianist, Liszt, is translated from amemoir by Christern, a distinguished professor of music inHamburg.