I am not fitted to give concerts. The audience intimidates me, I feel choked by its breath, paralyzed by its curious glances, struck dumb by all those strange faces.

England is a country of pianos, they are everywhere.

I wish I could throw off the thoughts which poison my happiness, but I take a kind of pleasure in indulging them.

As long as I have health and strength, I will gladly work all my days.

When one does a thing, it appears good, otherwise one would not write it. Only later comes reflection, and one discards or accepts the thing. Time is the best censor, and patience a most excellent teacher.

All the same it is being said everywhere that I played too softly, or rather, too delicately for people used to the piano-pounding of the artists here.

Nothing is more beautiful than the sound of the guitar.