slightest degree deviates from the time-honoured standards. We
are told that Chopin's mode of procedure in composing is this. He
goes in quest of an idea, writes, writes, modulates through all
the twenty-four keys, and, if the idea fails to come, does
without it and concludes the little piece very nicely (tres-
bien). And now, gentle reader, ponder on this momentous and
immeasurably sad fact: of such a nature was, is, and ever will be
the great mass of criticism.



CHAPTER XXI.



CHOPIN'S VISITS TO NOHANT IN 1837 AND 1838.--HIS ILL HEALTH.--HE
DECIDES TO GO WITH MADAME SAND AND HER CHILDREN TO MAJORCA.--
MADAME SAND'S ACCOUNT OF THIS MATTER AND WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT
ABOUT IT.--CHOPIN AND HIS FELLOW--TRAVELLERS MEET AT PERPIGNAN IN
THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, 1838, AND PROCEED BY PORT-VENDRES AND
BARCELONA TO PALMA.--THEIR LIFE AND EXPERIENCES IN THE TOWN, AT
THE VILLA SON-VENT, AND AT THE MONASTERY OF VALDEMOSA, AS
DESCRIBED IN CHOPIN'S AND GEORGE SAND'S LETTERS, AND THE LATTER'S
"MA VIE" AND "UN HIVER A MAJORQUE."--THE PRELUDES.--RETURN TO
FRANCE BY BARCELONA AND MARSEILLES IN THE END OF FEBRUARY, 1839.



In a letter written in 1837, and quoted on p. 313 of Vol. I.,
Chopin said: "I may perhaps go for a few days to George Sand's."