His concise remarks attracted no attention until time proved their truth.

His good sense, full of acuteness, had early persuaded him of the perfect vacuity of the greater part of political orations, of theological discussions, of philosophic digressions.

He began early to practice the favorite maxim of a man of great distinction, whom we have often heard repeat a remark dictated by the misanthropic wisdom of age, which was then startling to our inexperienced impetuosity, but which has since frequently struck us by its melancholy truth: "You will be persuaded one day as I am," (said the Marquis de Noailles to the young people whom he honored with his attention, and who were becoming heated in some naive discussions of differing opinions,) "that it is scarcely possible to talk about any thing to any body." (Qu'il n'y a guere moyen de causer de quoi que ce soit, avec qui que ce soit.) Sincerely religious, and attached to Catholicity, Chopin never touched upon this subject, but held his faith without attracting attention to it.

One might have been acquainted with him for a long time, without knowing exactly what his religious opinion were.

Perhaps to console his inactive hand an reconcile it with his lute, he persuaded himself to think: Il mondo va da se.