ABSTRACT
In late August or early September 1864, the Ernsts began their journey home to Nice. In november 1864, a grim series of events started to be played out in Nice that the Ernsts must have found an ominous portent. As Ernst's first letter from nice was written on 22 november, it seems reasonable to suppose that the Ernsts left for Nice in the third week of that month, probably using the new railway line to Nice which had opened in mid-October. During his last days in Paris, Ernst continued to be pressed for another performance of the quartets. The Ernsts' financial situation continued to be alleviated by the charity of friends. Mr Halle and a small committee arranged another benefit concert, to be held on 23 March 1865 in the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Ernst's own compositions continued to be enthusiastically received, and the concert allowed a 'noble sum' of money to be forwarded to Nice.
