79.—EARNING A VIOLIN EASILY.
Paganini's exceedingly great perseverance and practice in his early life gave him such a command over his instrument in later years that he needed no practice other than his frequent concerts gave him. His knowledge of music was so great and his perceptions so quick, that he was reported to be able to play at sight any music written for his instrument.
There was once an artist at Parina who disbelieved these stories of Paganini's wonderful powers. He told the violinist one day that he was the owner of a fine Stradivarius violin, and he would make him a present of it, if Paganini could read at sight a concerto he had in manuscript. "Then prepare to part with your fiddle," said Paganini, and taking the music, he played it at once, and walked off the possessor of a "Strad" worth perhaps £700 or £800.