Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/166

154 even then had composed some effective works, was suffering from a sad lack of funds.

So these friends arranged that Paganini was to present Berlioz in his hour of need with twenty thousand francs, and it was to be ostentatiously heralded as a fine piece of generosity. Knowing, however, that the violinist would not consent to part with even twenty francs to be thought generous, they raised the twenty thousand among themselves, and only besought Paganini to allow the use of his name, to which he obligingly consented.

Berlioz thinking the gift came from a brother musician who wished by it to recognize his merit and his struggles, accepted it and blessed the hand that bestowed it; and even the music histories and biographies of to-day praise this act of brotherly kindness and generosity on the part of that great artist, Paganini.  

Mendelssohn was of gentle disposition, and was a kindly critic. This was evinced on one occasion when he heard what he considered too harsh criticisms on Donizetti's music. His ideas of music were entirely in opposition to those of this Italian composer of light operas. The friends and acquaintances who surrounded him one evening at a representation of one of Donizetti's operas knew this and sought to enter further into the good graces of this idol of the musical world at that time by flinging at the Italian's work harsh and contemptuous criticisms.

Finally Mendelssohn could endure it no longer, and tired of their attempts to curry favor with him at the expense of another composer, cried out:—

"I like it; and do you know, I should like to have composed such music myself!"