1890 LOYE FOE MUSIC 141 



dulness is not so bad as to have prevented me from 

 observing the Sebastian attachment. 



Last Christmas I lost my greatest and my dearest 

 friend.^ This Christmas I have found that I had a 

 better friend than I was aware of. For the season- 

 able kindness, therefore, of your truly Yule-tide 

 consolation, gratias tihi ago. 



Ever yours, most sincerely, 



G. J. EoilAJSES. 



Por some years a deHghtful society existed in 

 London, known as the ' Home Quartet Union,' the 

 members of which met at different houses and hstened 

 to perfect music performed by first-rate artists under 

 perfect conditions. 



There were few happier evenings in his life than 

 those spent in such a way. 



Of all composers, Beethoven represented to him 

 everything that was highest in art or poetry; for 

 Beethoven, Mr. Romanes had much the same reve- 

 rence and admiration which he felt for Darwin, and 

 perhaps Beethoven, in other and very different ways, 

 taught him and influenced him much. 



He was very cathohc in his musical tastes, except 

 perhaps that Italian opera never greatly fascinated 

 him. Wagner's operas, on the other hand, became a 

 great dehght, particularly after a visit to Baireuth in 

 1889, where he saw Parsifal and Meistersinger. 



Pontics interested Mr. Romanes moderately. He 

 was by nature and by family tradition a Conservative, 

 but he cared very httle for parties, and admired great 

 men on whichever side of the House they sat. 



Perhaps of all hving poHticians, the one for whom 

 he had the greatest enthusiasm and respect was 



' The friend referred to on p. 178. 



