ural
that persons who have really an individual appearance of their
own, are also differently organized from others, both externally
and internally. At least I know that I have constituted myself
neither one way nor the other.

* * * * *

"Here, my best friend and well-wisher, the pages are full, and the
bottle of your wine, which has done the duty of this day, is
nearly empty. But since the letter which I wrote to my
father-in-law, to request the hand of my wife, I hardly ever have
written such an enormously long one. Pray take nothing ill. In
speaking, as in writing, I must show myself as I am, or I must
hold my tongue, and throw my pen aside. My last word shall be--my
dearest friend, keep me in kind remembrance. Would to God I could
one day be the cause of so much joy to you as you have been to me.
Well! I drink to you in this glass: long live my good and
faithful ----." "W. A. MOZART."

Before he left Prussia, the King offered him an appointment and a
liberal pension. "Can I leave my good Emperor?" said Mozart with
emotion. The proposal, however, made its impression, and shortly
afterwards probably encouraged him, at Vienna, on occasion of fresh
intrigues against him, to tender his resignation of his paltry
situation there. But a kind-like appeal from his imperial patron drove
him at once from his intention, and fixed him where he was. It was
afterwards hinted to him that he might, at least, have taken this
opportunity to stipulate for a better provision for himself. "Satan
himself," he replied, "would hardly have thought of bargaining at such
a moment."

The year 1789-90 seems to have been about the most disastrous in the
situation of his affairs, and led to the most unhappy results.

"The music-shops, as a source of income, were almost closed to
him, as he could not submit his genius to the dictates of fashion.
Hoffmeister, the publisher, having once advised him to write in a
more _popular_ style, or he could not continue to purchase his
compositions, he answered with unusual bitterness, 'Then I can
make no more by my pen, and I had better starve, and go to
destruction at once.' The fits of dejection which he experienced
were partly the effect of bodily ailments, but more of a weariness
with the perplexity of affairs, and of a prospect which afforded
him but one object on