The following, from Mr. Hamerton’s “Thoughts about Art,” is an
appropriate commentary on the advice that Ole Bull used to give the
artist, “Play little, and think much:”—
Thus it is said that Ole Bull, the celebrated Norwegian violinist,
arrived at his most wonderful effects less by manual practice than
meditation. He practiced less and thought more than other
violinists. This is quite in keeping with his reflections after
hearing Paganini. Ole Bull actually sold his last shirt to hear
the mighty master, and, having heard him, instead of saying like
the crowd that nothing new was possible after that, began to seek
after hitherto unknown effects that even Paganini had not
discovered. Both these facts indicate clearly that Ole Bull was a
musical transcendentalist, and his long retirement confirms it. A
true transcendentalist dislikes publicity, and loves to cultivate
himself in solitude.