and confidential. The letters of Dwight have not been preserved, with two
or three exceptions, but those of Curtis still exist in unbroken
succession, and are presented to the public in this volume. In these days,
when we complain of the decay of letter-writing, they afford a remarkably
good specimen of youthful effort in that kind of literature.

To Dwight there were sent by Curtis several poems, which were printed in
the _Harbinger_, and he also sent two letters from New York on musical
topics. Two of his letters to Dwight from Europe were also printed in the
_Harbinger_. After he was settled in New York, Curtis did his part in an
effort to get Dwight established in that city. When Dwight began his
_Journal of Music_, Curtis wrote for it frequently over the signature of
"Hafiz." It is safe to say that these contributions were not paid for, but
were the result of a desire to aid his friend in his musical enterprise.
They were of the nature of passing comments on the musical performances of
the day, but they were worthy of the pages in which they appeared.

John Sullivan Dwight was born in Court Street, Boston, May 13, 1813, the
son of Dr. John Dwight and his wife Mary. He was educated at the Derne
Street Grammar School and the Boston Latin School, from which he entered
Harvard College. As a boy he was a devoted reader of books, studious in
his habits, but little inclined to active or practical pursuits. When
about fifteen, he began to take an interest in music, and from his father
he received the best instruction in that art.

Young Dwight entered Harvard in 1829, and he carried through the studies
of the course with a fair degree of success. He gave much attention to
music, joined the Pierian Sodality, and was an earnest reader of the best
poetry. He gave the class poem on his graduation, in 1832. During his
Senior year he taught at Northborough, and following his graduation he