with your injunctions and advice.  Thank Herr Bullinger a thousand times for his congratulations.  I mean to write to him soon and thank him myself, but I may in the mean time assure him that I neither know nor have any better, more sincere, or truer friend than himself.  I beg also humbly to thank Madlle.  Sallerl; pray tell her I mean to enclose some verses to show my gratitude to her in my letter to Herr Bullinger.  Thank my sister also; she is to keep the Schuster duets, and give herself no further trouble on the subject.

In your first letter, dear papa, you write that I lowered myself by my conduct to that lad Langenmantl.  Anything but that!  I was only straightforward, no more.  I see you think he is still a boy; he is one or two and twenty, and a married man.  Can any one be considered a boy who is married?  I have never gone near him since.  I left two cards for him to-day, and excused myself for not going in, having so many indispensable calls to make.  I must now conclude, for mamma insists absolument on going to dinner, and then to pack.  To-morrow we go straight to Wallerstein.  My dear little cousin, who sends you her regards, is anything but a prude.  She dressed a la Francaise to please me yesterday.  She looked at least 5 per cent, prettier in consequence.  Now, Addio!

On the 26th of October the mother and son set off to Mannheim.  The mother writes that Wolfgang intended to write to Augsburg, “but he will scarcely be able to do so to-day, for he is now at the rehearsal of the oratorio; so I must beg you to accept my humble self instead.”  Wolfgang then adds:—­

70.

Mannheim, Oct. 30, 1777.

I must beg you also to accept my insignificancy.  I went to-day with Herr Danner to M. Cannabich’s [Director of the Elector’s orchestra].  He was uncommonly polite, and I played something for him on his piano, which is a very good one.  We went together to the rehearsal.  I could scarcely help laughing when I was presented to the musicians, because, though some who knew me by renomme were very civil and courteous, the rest, who knew nothing whatever about me, stared in such a ludicrous way, evidently thinking that because I am little and young nothing great or mature is to be found in me; but they shall soon find it out.  Herr Cannabich is to take me himself to-morrow to Count Savioli, the Intendant of Music.  One good thing is that the Elector’s name-day is close at hand.  The oratorio they are rehearsing is Handel’s, but I did not stay to hear it, for they first rehearsed a Psalm Magnificat of the Vice-Capellmeister here, [Abbe] Vogler, which lasted a good hour.  I must now conclude, for I have still to write to my cousin.

71.

Mannheim, Nov. 4, 1777.