at Augsburg, where they could get neither "payment, audience, or dismissal," from the reigning duke. Heidelberg, Mayence, Frankfort, Bonn, were successively visited; and then overwhelmed with presents, such as watches, snuff-boxes, swords, but with but little money, the family started for Paris. There they were favourably introduced, through the lady of the Bavarian ambassador, daughter of Count Arco, chamberlain to the Archbishop of Salzburg. The Mozarts were treated with great distinction. There also Wolfgang published his first works,-two sets of sonatas for the clavier, with an accompaniment for the violin,-the one dedicated to Madam Victorie, the king's second daughter, the other to the Countess Tesse. Grimm was a kind and constant friend.Leopold Mozart writes word, "The single Mr. Grimm, to whom I had a letter from a merchant's wife at Frankfort, did every thing; he mentioned us at court, and provided for our first concert; towards which he sold three hundred and twenty tickets, and consequently paid me eighty louis d'ors; he gave us also our wax lights.

London, then, as now, the promised land for curiosities, however small, was the next place visited by the musical family. On the 27th of April, 1764, the children were heard by their majesties, and again in the following month. The father thus describes their first appearance at an English court.

"On the 27th of April, four days after our arrival, we were with their majesties from six to nine o'clock. The present we received on leaving the royal apartments was twenty-four guineas only; but the condescension of the exalted persons was indescribable. Such were their friendly manners that we could not believe ourselves in the presence of the king and queen of England. What we have experienced here surpassed every thing. A week afterwards, we were walking in St. James's park, when the king and queen came driving by, and although we were all indifferently dressed, they then and there saluted us: the king, in particular, threw open the carriage window, put out his hand, and, laughing, greeted us with head and hands, particularly our Master Wolfgang."

Returning from a concert at Lord Thanet's, Wolfgang's father caught so severe a cold that his life was despaired of. The boy, as every instrument was silent, in order to employ himself, wrote a symphony, which was his first attempt of that kind. No sooner had his father recovered, than he orders "twenty-two masses, and undertakes the conversion of an apprentice, the son of a Dutch Jew, a great violincello player." Notwithstanding the scenes through which Wolfgang passed, the simplicity of his nature remained unchanged.

"While playing to me," writes the Hon. Daines Barrington, a favourite cat came in, on which he left his harpsichord, nor

could we bring him back for a considerable time. He would also sometimes run about the room with a stick between his legs, by way of a horse," yet Mr. Barrington doubted as to the boy's being as young as he was represented till he had obtained a certificate of his birth through the Bavarian Envoy. The London visit at length drew to a close. The novelty wore off, the receipts of their concerts gradually diminished, the expenses were much greater than what the family had been accustomed to. The father writes, after the loss of a sum of money:-"But what does it signify to talk much of a matter that I resolved upon after deep consideration and many sleepless nights, especially as it is now over; and I am determined not to bring up my children in such a dangerous place as London, where people, for the most part, have no religion, and there are scarcely any but bad examples before their eyes. You would be astonished to see how children are brought up here, to say nothing of religion."

On the 17th of September, 1765, we find our travellers at the Hague, where the daughter was for some time dangerously ill. She recovered, but then Wolfgang was attacked by an inflammatory fever, which greatly reduced him from for several weeks. They met, however, all the time, with the kindest sympathy of the court. In Holland they remained for some time; the rest of their journey, though protracted to the end of the year 1776, was a mere holiday trip.

It was not without misgivings,-misgivings, however, which can be easily accounted for when we remember the serf-like position he held at the court of his prince, the archbishop,-that Leopold Mozart returned to Salzburg. Wolfgang, however, had now an interval of some months' comparative repose, in which he sedulously studied and practised the works of Emanuel Bach, Eberlin, and the scores of Hasse, Handel, and the old Italian masters. He also received some little honour in his own city. On the 11th of September we find the family off again on another journey. A royal marriage was on the tapis at Vienna, but the breaking out of the small-pox disconcerted all their plans, and the travellers were compelled to fly to Olmutz, where Wolfgang sickened, and then his sister. A good Samaritan, Count Podstatsky, received the family into his house, where they had every attention paid them. As Wolfgang became convalescent, he became skilful as a card-player, fencer, and horseman. We now come to an era in his life he had won for himself a name. Henceforth he was to be the object of envy and dislike. The musicians of Vienna united against him as a common enemy. At the court, however, they were still well received, but it was deemed desirable to make a bold stroke to retrieve their affairs, and silence their enemies. The emperor suggested an opera, and Mozart gladly embraced the idea. He had, notwithstanding, a low opinion of the public

taste of Vienna. In one of his letters he says: "That the Viennese in general have no taste for serious and sensible things,— indeed, have no notion of them, is well known; and their theatre, in which nothing prevails but childish trash, such as dances, devils, ghosts, witches, jack-puddings, and harlequins, proves it. One may see a gentleman, even one decorated with an order, clapping his hands, and laughing himself out of breath, at some harlequin's trick, or silly joke, who, during the most moving and beautiful situation, or the most eloquent dialogue, will talk so loud with a lady that, his more sober neighbour can hardly catch a word." Poor Wolfgang was thwarted in every possible way. Mr. Holmes says, "Hardly had the subject been broached than the work was completed. The next step seemed to be to bring it out; but no delays, excuses, evaded promises, purposely confused rehearsals, and every other stratagem that malice could suggest, were put in operation to suppress it, till at length it was as wholly ruined as if it had been committed to the flames; for being written with a view to a particular company, it was quite unavailable for any other. The father, a man quite ignorant in the strategy of theatres, was slow to conceive the extent of secret animosity of which his son was the object. But when he saw this, and the utter shamelessness and absence of principle with which theatrical proceedings were conducted, his indignation was unbounded, and the occasion certainly justified it. "The whole hell of music," he said, "has bestirred itself to prevent the talent of a child from being known."

It was in vain Mozart begged that his son might have a fair hearing; but Wolfgang, strong in genius and youth, not dismayed, in little more than a month was ready with three works-a solemn mass, an offertorium, and a trumpet concerto for a boy. These pieces were so much applauded as to compensate, in some manner, for his previous ill fortune. On the return of the family to Salzburg, he pursued his studies in the higher departments of composition, and improved his acquaintance with the Italian language. "It appears," says Mr. Holmes, "from the court calendar of his native city, "that he was now appointed concert master in the musical establishment of the archbishop, a place of little honour and less profit, but which, nevertheless, he would not hold as a mere sinecure.

In December, 1769, Wolfgang and his father set out on a journey to Italy, where they remained till March, 1771. This step seems to have afforded unmitigated pleasure. Wolfgang's letters to his sister at this period are full of good feeling and fun. At Rome they heard the famous Miserere of Allegri. It was held in such high esteem that the musicians of the chapel were forbidden, under pain of excommunication to take any part of it away, or to copy it themselves, or through any other person. Mozart, however, committed

the unexampled theft, and carried it away. He accomplished his task in two visits to the Sistine chapel. On the first hearing he drew out a sketch, and on the second, with his manuscript in his hand, he corrected and completed it. It soon became known in Rome, and the generous Italians, delighted with the skill he displayed, willingly forgave the theft. At Naples they met the notorious Lady Hamilton. The father describes her as a very agreeable person, "who performs on the clavier with unusual expression. She was much alarmed at having to play before Wolfgang. The Queen of Naples was very liberal, in words, but nothing more. The imbecile king, with his dancing, and sporting, and boatracing, and maccaroni eating, had little time or inclination to patronise genius. At Rome, the Pope presented Wolfgang with a beautiful gold cross, and dubbed him knight. At Bologna he was made member of the Philharmonic Society. At Milan he brought out an opera (Mithridates) which was performed consecutively twenty nights. Milan was left in February, and in another month the travellers again reached home. In the autumn of the same year he returned to Milan to compose a grand dramatic serenata in honour of the nuptials of the archduke Ferdinand. Hasse, the Nestor of musicians, was also to write an opera for the occasion. The latter at the time is said publicly to have predicted Mozart's future fame. "This boy," said he, "will throw us all into the shade."

In the spring of the year 1772, an event took place which materially influenced the future fortunes of the great composer. This was the election of the new archbishop, Hieronymus, of the princely family of Cleredo, to the government of Salzburg. The man had no taste for music, and it was long before he could perceive that there was any thing extraordinary in his young concert master. Wolfgang took pains to ingratiate himself with him, and at first with some appearance of success. In October, accompanied by his father, he went to Milan to fulfil his engagement for the carnival opera of the new year, Lucio Silva. After much mismanagement the opera was performed. The scene in the theatre is thus described: "The archduke having five letters of compliment and good wishes on the new year to write, after dinner, to the Emperor, Empress, etc., came late, for you are to know that he writes very slowly. Picture to yourself the whole theatre crammed full at half-past five o'clock, and the singers, both men and women, on this the first evening, full of alarm at having to exhibit before so exalted an audience; and then think of these frightened singers remaining, in their turn, and the orchestra and the whole audience, many of whom were compelled to stand, waiting in the hot theatre for three mortal hours, before the piece began. Secondly, you are to be informed that the tenor, who is a cathedral singer at Lodi, who was engaged only one week before

the performance, for want of a better, had never played in so large a theatre, and had even only twice in his life been a primo tenore at Lodi. This person being required, during the first air of the prima donna to make some demonstration of anger towards her, so exaggerated the demands of the situation, that it seemed as if he were about to give her a box on the ears, or to wrench her fist. Signora de Amicis, in the heat of her singing, not knowing why the public laughed, was surprised, and being unaware of the ridiculous cause, did not sing well the first evening, and an additional reason for this may be found in a feeling of jealousy that the primo nomo, immediately on his appearance on the scene, should be applauded by the archduchess. This, however, was only a trick of a musico, for he had contrived to have it represented to the archduchess that he would be unable to sing from fear, in order to ensure immediate applause and encouragement from the court. But to console De Amicis she was sent for the next day to court, and had an audience of both their royal highnesses for an hour."

In July, 1773, we find the Mozarts at Vienna, where they remained two months. In December, 1774, they went to Munich, that Wolfgang might write the opera buffa for the carnival. In March, 1775, the father and son returned to Salzburg. There Wolfgang spent three years,-three years of unrewarded toil, of slight, and disappointment. The handsome salary he received from the archbishop was about £1 1s. per annum. So much for patronage of art on the part of the titled and the great,—a patronage men have come by this time to appreciate at its true value. In September, 1777, Mozart, accompanied by his mother, commenced a tour in search of some prince who would discern and encourage his musical genius. At Munich, which is his first halt, he hopes to be engaged by the elector. We next find him at Augsburg on his way to Mannheim, the residence of another German elector, and the seat of no small pretension in musical matters. Here, after hoping to have a place in the elector's service, he is again doomed to disappointment. Here, however, for the first time, he fell seriously in love. "The lady was a Mademoiselle Weber, fifteen years of age, and a great singer. At Mannheim his father directs his attention to Paris, at which place he and his mother arrived on the 23rd of March, 1778. His great friend is Baron Grimm, through whose influence he has the honour of an interview with the Duchesse de Bourbon, a visit that introduced him, for the first time, to the elegant indifference of the fashionable salon.

"On my arrival," writes Mozart, "I was ushered into a great room, without any fire, and as cold as ice; and then I had to wait for half an hour, until the duchess came. At length she appeared, and very politely requested me to excuse the clavier, as not one in the house was in order, and said she would be very glad to hear