4798.) 
reprefentations that for a long time it was 
unneceflary to confult the opera-bill 
which only announced a permanent no- 
yelty. And the airs feleCted from it 
and repeated throughout the empire, as 
well in the cottage as in the palace, and 
which the echoes have refounded in the 
moft diftant provinces, tavoured the idea 
that Mozart had aétually the delign to 
enchant all Germay with his Hutte &n- 
chantée. . 
La Clemence de Titus was requefted by 
the {tates of Bohemia, for the coronation 
of Leopold. The compofer began it in 
his carriage during his route to Prague, 
and finifhed it in eighteen days. 
Some circumftances attending the com- | 
pofition of the piece which we have already 
mentioned as the laft effort of his ge- 
nius, are too interefting to be omitted. 
A fhort time before ‘his death, a {tranger 
game to him with the requeft that be 
would compofe as fpeedily as’ poflible, @ 
requiem fora eatholic prince, who, per- 
ceiving himfelf on the verge of the grave, 
wifhed, by the execution of fuch a piece, 
to focthe his mind, and familiarize it to 
the idea of his approaching diffolution. 
Mozart undertook the work; and the 
ftranger depofited with him as a fecurity, 
400 ducats, though the fum demanded 
was only 200. The compofer imme- 
diately began the work, and during its 
progre{s, felt his mind unufually raifed 
and agitated. He became at length fo 
infatuated with his requiem that he em- 
ployed not only the day, but fome hours 
ef the night in its compofition. One 
day, while he was converfing with Ma- 
dame Mozart on the fubjet, he declared 
to her that he could not but be perfuaded 
that it was for himielf he was writing 
this piece. His wife diftreffed at her in- 
ability to diffipate fo melancholy an im- 
preffion, prevailed on him to give her 
the feore. He atterwards appearing fome- 
what tranquillized, and mere mafter of 
himfelf, fhe returned the fcare to him, 
and he foon relapfed into his former de- 
fpondency. On the day of his death he 
afked for the requiem, which was accord- 
ingly brought to his bed: ‘ Was I not 
right,’ faid he, ‘* when I declared that 
jt was for myfelf I was compofing this 
funeral piece ?”* And the tears trickled 
from his eyes. This produétion of a 
man imprefled during its compofition with 
a prefentiment of his approaching death 
is uigue in its kind, and contains paflages 
which have frequently drawn tears from 
the performers. 
Only one complaint efcaped him during 
Ws malady: “I met quit life,” fate 
Life of Mouart by Mir. Bafy. 
44-9 
he,  precifely at the momesmt when I 
could enjoy it, free from care and in- 
quietude ; at the very time, when inde- 
pendent of fordid f{peculations, and at 
liberty to follow my own principles and 
inclinations, I fhould only have to write 
from the impulles of my own hearts 
and I am torn from my family juft when 
in a fituation to ferve it.” 
Mozart at the time of his death was 
confiderably involved in debt ; but Vienna 
and Prague difputed the honour of pro- 
viding for his widow and children 5 and 
M. Van Switten has been a father to 
them. _Notwithftanding many vexatious 
events, he might, perhaps, have died 
folvent, had he been futhciently cecono- 
mical. But endowed with great fenfibi- 
lity, and an organization {ufceptible of 
all the fofter paffions, he from his infancy 
contracted the habit of refigning himfelf 
without referve to thofe perions and 
things which at the moment interefted his 
feelings. 
The countenanee of this great mafter 
did not indicate any thing uncommon. 
He was finall of ftature; and except his 
eyes, which were full of fire, there was no- 
thing te announce fuperiority of talent. 
His air, unlefs when he was at the harp- 
fichord, was that of an abfent man. But 
When he was performing, his whole phy- 
fiognomy became changed: a profound. 
ferioufnefs recalled and fixed his eyes ; 
and his fentiments were expreffed in every 
movement of his mufcles. Never has a 
mulician more fuccef{sfully embraced the 
whole extent of his art, and_fhone with 
greater lufire in ail its departinents. His 
greai operas, no lefs than his moft fimple 
fongs ; his learned fymphonies as well as 
his airy dances; all carry the ftamp of 
the richeit imagination, the deepeft fen- 
ibility, and the pureft tafte. All his 
works develope the originality of his ge- 
nius ; and imply a mind great and ex- 
alted; an imagination which ftrikes out 
for ictlf a new courfe. He therefore 
merits to be ranked with that {mall num- 
ber of original geniaffes, thofe phenomena 
fplendida, who form an epoch in their 
art, by carrying it to perfection, or giving 
it an unknown career. - 
t is in the employment of wind in- 
ftruments that Mozart difplays his greateft 
powers. His melody is always fimple, 
natural, and full of force; and exprefles 
with precifion the fentiments and indivi-. 
dual fituations of his perfonages: He 
wrote with extraordinary facility. “* La 
Clemence de Titus” the reader will recolleé& 
coft him the ftudy of but eighteen days ; 
aad his requiem, wirich is equal in length. 
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