PERSONAL 123 



the birds. He had a strong appreciation for that 

 made by human voices and ringers, and yet his 

 ideas on music generally were strangely different 

 from those commonly accepted. For the violin 

 he had no liking ; even when played by the most 

 skilful artist, he never could divest himself of the 

 idea that the violin did anything but squeak. He 

 would admit that the squeak might be toned down 

 under the influence of a good player on a good 

 instrument, but that, under the most favourable con- 

 ditions, the squeak was always there. He thought 

 the harp the finest of all instruments, and the 

 guitar, especially as an accompaniment to the voice, 

 the next. Of the guitar he used to say that it is the 

 easiest of all instruments to play a little on by ear, 

 and the most difficult of all for the display of skill 

 in pieces of music ; that it is always admired when 

 heard, and calls forth exclamations of pleasure and 

 delight. He enjoyed hearing it played with the 

 piano, and considered a duet of two guitars really 

 charming. 



The guitar was the only instrument he ever 

 attempted to play himself, and this he only did by 

 ear ; but he was extremely fond of it, and constantly 

 throughout the day, but only for a few minutes, he 

 would take up his instrument and play snatches 

 of Italian melodies which had been taught him in 

 his younger days by an Italian who visited this 

 country and whom he had befriended. These airs 

 he never forgot ; nor did he seem to wish to increase 

 his repertoire, but played the same tunes over and 



