1798.J | [ 
445 
ANECDOTES OF EMINENT PERSONS. 
LiFe oF Mozart, 
The celebrated German Mufvian. 
i MONG tthe illuftrious individuals, 
who by their fuperior abilities have 
@ynamented and improved the world, how 
few have dared to defy the obftacles which 
énvy, arrogance, and contending meannefs 
@ppoted to their progrefs! or indignantly 
fo break the thackles which indigence im- 
pofes, and dart through that ob{curity too 
well calculated to {catrer and quench the 
rays of genius! To how finall a number 
have their own country proved that bene- 
‘ficent protectrefs, that kind, that ‘¢ nur- 
fing mother’ who fhould watch the grow- 
ing ftrength of new-fledged talent, en- 
gourage its flights, and applaud the vigor 
ef its fpreading pinions. This has for- 
med the complaint of every age, and will 
€ontinue to excite the murmurs of fuffer- 
ing merit, till minds of the fuperior clafs 
feize, by independancy of fpirit, that 
afcendency in the fcale of worldly power 
which gives weight and force to human 
movements, and which can only {pring 
from con{cious importance, and dignified 
felf-affertion, 
Mozart, whofe fublime produ€tions have 
aftonifhed and {till continue to delight, all 
‘ Europe, awakens thefe refleCtions---ac- 
companies me in my progref{s---revives the 
complaints of neglected genius---and de- 
gnands redrefs. 
Had not the almoft uniform practice of 
courts long explained to mankind the 
principles on which they aét, how difficult 
would it be to conceive, that that of 
Vienna could fo little appreciate the ° 
merit of this extraordinary man, who 
looked to it for an afylum, and paffed in 
its vicinity the Jaft ten years of his life! 
the difpeniers of royal favors, whofe ears - 
imbibe with fuch avidity the flattery that 
meannefs offers, can neglect that genius 
which nobly refufes the tale of adulation ; 
ean ftifle it with poverty, and even follow 
it with perfecution. 
Availing myfelf of the materials fur- 
mifhed me by the learned  profeflors 
Niemftf{check and Olivarius, I now haften 
to thofe details, which fo ftronely di- 
ftinguifh and characterize the fubjec& of 
my prefent biographical difcuflion. 
The father cf Mozart was matter of 
the chapel at Salzburg. His favorite 
work, entitled ‘* Leflons for the Violin,” 
poffefs more than a moderate fhare of 
erit; and have pafied through two 
itions. He was alfo a refpeétable per- 
MONTHLY Mas. No, XXXIX, 
2 
The fhade of the great, 
former; but certainly did not difcoyer 
any thing fufliciently extraordinary, either 
in his execution or compofiticns, to prefage, 
the future brilliancy of his fon. 
Mozart the younger, was born at Salz- 
burg in the year 1756. At the ago of, 
three years, attending to the leffons which. 
his fitter, then feven years old, was req 
ceiving at the harpfichord, he became 
captivated with harmony ; and when fhe 
had left the inftrument, he would jnftantly 
place himfelf at it, find the z/irds, found 
them with the livelieft joy, and employ 
whole hours at the exercife. 
His father, urged by fuch early and 
ftriking indications of genius, immediate- 
ly began to teach him fome little airs ; 
and foon perceived that his pupil im- 
proved even beyond the hopes he had 
formed of him. Half an hour was gene- 
rally fufficient for his acquiring a minuet, 
or alittle fong, which, when once learned, 
he would of himfelf perform with tafte 
and expreffion. 
At the age of fix years, he had made 
fuch a progrefs as te be able to compofe 
fhort pieces for the harpfichord, which 
his father was obliged to commit to paper 
for him. From that time nothing made 
any impreffion upon him but harmony ; 
and infantine amufements loft all their’ 
attractions unlefs mufic had a fharé in 
them. He advanced from day to day, 
not by ordinary and infenfible degrees, 
but with a rapidity which hourly excited 
new furprife in his parents---the happy 
witneffes of his progrefs. 
His father returning home one day 
with a ftranger, found little Mozart with 
a pen in his hand. ‘* What are you 
writine*” faid he?‘ A concerto for the 
harpfichord” replied the child. Let us 
fee it ;* rejoined the father, ‘¢ It is a mar- 
vellous concerto, without doubt.”? He 
then took the paper, and faw nothing at 
firft but a mais of notes mingled with 
blots of ink by the mal-addrefs of the 
young compofer, who, unfkilled in the 
management of the pen, had dipped it 
too freely in the ink; and having blotted 
and fmeared his paper, had ‘endeavoured 
to make cut his ideas with his fingers ; 
but on a clofer examination, his father was 
loft in wonder ; and his eyes, delighted, and 
flowing With tears, became rivetted to the 
notes. *¢* See,°? exclaimed he to the - 
ftranger “* how juft and regular’it al] is} 
but it is impoffible to play it: it is tog 
dificult.” <*It is a gonosrto,”” faid the 
ah child,” 
