University of Virginia Library

IV

Goldenweiser played Chopin, which called forth these remarks from Leo Nikolaevich [Tolstoy]: "A certain German princeling said: 'Where you want to have slaves, there you should have as much music as possible.' That's a true thought, a true observation — music dulls the mind. Especially do the Catholics realize that; our priests, of course, will not reconcile themselves to Mendelssohn in church. A Tula priest assured me that Christ was not a Jew, though the son of the

Jewish God and his mother a Jewess — he did admit that, but says he: 'It's impossible.' I asked him: 'But how then. . . . !' He shrugged his shoulders and said: 'That's just the mystery.'"