It did not teach anything, but it put no obstacle in the way of any real talent that the pupil might chance to have.

Rachel, being musical, was allowed to learn nothing but music; she became a fanatic about music.

All the energies that might have gone into languages, science, or literature, that might have made her friends, or shown her the world, poured straight into music.

Finding her teachers inadequate, she had practically taught herself.

At the age of twenty-four she knew as much about music as most people do when they are thirty; and could play as well as nature allowed her to, which, as became daily more obvious, was a really generous allowance.