The Letters, vol 1 | Page 8

begun. The aria is finished.
The copyist (who is my father) has the symphony, because we do not
choose it to be copied by any one else, or it might be stolen.
"WOLFGANGO in Germany.
"AMADKEO MOZAKT in Italy.
"Rome, mistress of the world: April 25,1770."]

12.
Naples, May 19, 1770.
CARA SORELLA MIA,--
Vi prego di scrivermi presto e tutti i giorni di posta. Io vi ringrazio di
avermi mandata questi "Art of Ciphering," [FOOTNOTE: "I beg you
will write to me soon, indeed every post-day. I thank you for having
sent me the 'Art of Ciphering.'"] e vi prego, se mai volete avere mal di
testa, di mandarmi ancora un poco di questi "books." [FOOTNOTE:
"And I beg if you ever want to have a headache, that you will send me
some more."] Perdonate mi che scrivo si malamente, ma la razione e
perche anche io ebbi un poco mal di testa. [FOOTNOTE: "of the same
kind. Excuse my writing so badly, but the reason is that I have a bit of a
headache myself."]
Haydn's twelfth minuet, which you sent me, pleases me very much; you
have composed an inimitable bass for it, and without the slightest fault.
I do beg that you will often exercise yourself in such things. Mamma
must not forget to see that the guns are both polished up. Tell me how
Master Canary is? Does he still sing? and still whistle? Do you know
why I am thinking about the canary? Because we have one in our
ante-room that chirps out a G sharp just like ours. [Footnote: Mozart
was extremely fond of animals, and later in life had always birds in his
room.] A propos, Herr Johannes [Hagenauer], no doubt, received the

letter of congratulation which we intended to write to him? But if he
has not got it, I will tell him myself, when we meet in Salzburg, what
ought to have been in it. Yesterday we wore our new clothes; we were
as handsome as angels. My kind regards to Nandl; she must not fail to
pray diligently for me.
Jomelli's opera is to be given on the 30th. We saw the king and queen
at mass in the court chapel at Portici, and we also saw Vesuvius.
Naples is beautiful, but as crowded with people as Vienna or Paris. As
for London and Naples, I think that in point of insolence on the part of
the people Naples almost surpasses London; because here the lazzaroni
have their regular head or leader, who receives twenty-five ducati
d'argento monthly from the king for keeping the lazzaroni in order.
Madame de' Amicis sings in the opera--we were there. Caffaro is to
compose the second opera, Ciccio di Majo the third, but who is to
compose the fourth is not yet known. Be sure you go regularly to
Mirabell, to hear the Litanies, and listen to the "Regina Coeli" or the
"Salve Regina," and sleep sound, and take care to have no evil dreams.
My most transcendent regards to Herr von Schiedenhofen--tralaliera!
tralaliera! Tell him to learn the repetition minuet on the piano, to be
sure to DO so, and DO not let him forget it. He must DO this in order
to DO me the favor to let me accompany him some day or other. DO
give my best compliments to all my friends, and DO continue to live
happily, and DO not die, but DO live on, that you may be able to DO
another letter for me, and I DO one for you, and thus we shall go on
DOING till we can DO something worth DOING; but I am one of
those who will go on DOING till all DOINGS are at an end. In the
mean time I DO subscribe myself
Your W. M.

13.
Naples, May 29, 1770.
Jeri l'altro fummo nella prova dell' opera del Sign. Jomelli, la quale e
una opera che e ben scritta e che me piace veramente. Il Sign. Jomelli
ci ha parlato ed era molto civile. E fummo anche in una chiesa a sentir
una Musica la quale fu del Sign. Ciccio di Majo, ed era una bellissima
Musica. Anche lui ci parlci ed era molto compito. La Signora de'
Amicis canto a meraviglia. Stiamo Dio grazia assai bene di salute,

particolarmente io, quando viene una lettera di Salisburgo. Vi prego di
scrivermi tutti giorni di posta, e se anche non avete niente da scrivermi,
solamente vorrei averlo per aver qualche lettera tutti giorni di posta.
Egli non sarebbe mal fatto, se voi mi scriveste qualche volta una
letterina italiana.
[FOOTNOTE: "The other day we attended the rehearsal of Signer
Jomelli's opera, which is well written and pleases me exceedingly.
Signor Jomelli spoke to us and was very civil. We