greater facilities to know a person.  When in Paris I first began fully to appreciate the sincere friendship of the Cannabichs, having heard from a trustworthy source the interest both she and her husband took in me.  I reserve many topics to explain and to discuss personally, for since my return from Paris the scene has undergone some remarkable changes, but not in all things.  Now as to my cloister life.  The monastery itself made no great impression on me, after having seen the celebrated Abbey of Kremsmunster.  I speak of the exterior and what they call here the court square, for the most renowned part I have yet to see.  What appears to me truly ridiculous is the formidable military.  I should like to know of what use they are.  At night I hear perpetual shouts of “Who goes there?” and I invariably reply, “Guess!” You know what a good and kind man the prelate is, but you do not know that I may class myself among his favorites, which, I believe, does me neither good nor harm, but it is always pleasant to have one more friend in the world.  With regard to the monodrama, or duodrama, a voice part is by no means necessary, as not a single note is sung, but entirely spoken; in short, it is a recitative with instruments, only the actor speaks the words instead of singing them.  If you were to hear it even with the piano, it could not fail to please you, but properly performed, you would be quite transported.  I can answer for this; but it requires a good actor or actress.

I shall really feel quite ashamed if I arrive in Munich without my sonatas.  I cannot understand the delay; it was a stupid trick of Grimm’s, and I have written to him to that effect.  He will now see that he was in rather too great a hurry.  Nothing ever provoked me so much.  Just reflect on it.  I know that my sonatas were published in the beginning of November, and I, the author, have not yet got them, therefore cannot present them to the Electress, to whom they are dedicated.  I have, however, taken measures in the mean time which will insure my getting them.  I hope that my cousin in Augsburg has received them, or that they are lying at Josef Killiau’s for her; so I have written to beg her to send them to me at once.

Until I come myself, I commend to your good offices an organist, and also a good pianist, Herr Demmler, from Augsburg.  I had entirely forgotten him, and was very glad when I heard of him here.  He has considerable genius; a situation in Salzburg might be very useful in promoting his further success, for all he requires is a good leader in music; and I could not find him a better conductor than you, dear father, and it would really be a pity if he were to leave the right path. [See No. 68.] That melancholy “Alceste” of Schweitzer’s is to be performed in Munich.  The best part (besides some of the openings, middle passages, and the finales of some arias) is the beginning of the recitative “O Jugendzeit,” and this was made what it is by Raaff’s assistance; he punctuated it for Hartig (who plays Admet), and by so doing introduced the true expression into the aria.  The worst of all, however, (as well as the greater part of the opera,) is certainly the overture.