have ever handled his pianos as I do.  My keeping so accurately in time causes them all much surprise.  The left hand being quite independent in the tempo rubato of an adagio, they cannot at all comprehend.  With them the left hand always yields to the right.  Count Wolfeck and others, who have a passionate admiration for Becke, said lately publicly in a concert that I beat Becke hollow.  Count Wolfeck went round the room saying, “In my life I never heard anything like this.”  He said to me, “I must tell you that I never heard you play as you did to-day, and I mean to say so to your father as soon as I go to Salzburg.”  What do you think was the first piece after the symphony?  The concerto for three pianos.  Herr Demmler took the first part, I the second, and Herr Stein the third.  I then played a solo, my last sonata in D, for Durnitz, and afterwards my concerto in B; then again a solo in the organ style, namely, a fugue in C minor, then all of a sudden a splendid sonata in C major, finishing with a rondo, all extempore.  What a noise and commotion there was!  Herr Stein did nothing but make faces and grimaces of astonishment.  Herr Demmler was seized with fits of laughter, for he is a queer creature, and when anything pleases him exceedingly, he can’t help laughing heartily; indeed, on this occasion he actually began to swear!  Addio!

69.

Augsburg, Oct. 25, 1777.

The receipts of the concert were 90 florins, without deducting the expenses.  Including, therefore, the two ducats we took in the Casino concert, we had 100 florins.  The expenses of the concert did not exceed 16 florins 30 kreutzers; the room I had gratis.  I believe most of the musicians will make no charge.  We have now altogether lost about 26 or 27 florins.  This is not of much moment.  I am writing this on Saturday the 25th.  This morning early I received the letter with the sad news of Frau Oberbereiterin’s death.  Madlle.  Tonerl can now purse up her mouth, or perhaps open it wide, and shut it again as empty as ever.  As to the baker’s daughter, I have no objection to make; I foresaw all this long ago.  This was the cause of my reluctance to leave home, and finding it so difficult to go.  I hope the affair is not by this time known all over Salzburg?  I beg you, dear papa, most urgently to keep the matter quiet as long as possible, and in the mean time to pay her father on my account any expenses he may have incurred by her entrance into the convent, which I will repay gladly when I return to Salzburg.

I thank you most truly, dear papa, for your good wishes on my name-day.  Do not be uneasy on my account, for I have always God before my eyes, I acknowledge His omnipotence, I dread His wrath; but I also know His love, His compassion and mercy towards His creatures, and that He will never forsake His servants.  When His will is done I am resigned; so I never can fail to be happy and contented.  I shall certainly also strive to live as strictly as possible in accordance