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 Signor Jomelli's
opera, which is well written and pleases me exceedingly. Signor Jomelli
spoke to us and was very civil. We also went to a church to hear a mass
by Signor Ciccio di Majo, and it was most beautiful music. Signora
de' Amicus sang incomparably. We are, thank God, very well, and I feel
particularly so when a letter from Salzburg arrives. I beg you will
write to me every post-day, even if you have nothing to write about, for
I should like to have a letter by every post. It would not be a bad idea
to write me a little letter in Italian."]
14.
Naples, June 5, 1770.
Vesuvius is smoking fiercely! Thunder and lightning and blazes! Haid
homa gfresa beim Herr Doll. Das is a deutscha Compositor, und a browa
Mo. [Footnote: "Today we dined with Herr Doll, he is a good composer
and a worthy man" [Vienna Patois]] Now I begin to describe my course
of life.--Alle 9 ore, qualche volta anche alle dieci mi svelgio, e poi
andiamo fuor di casa, e poi pranziamo da un trattore, e dopo pranzo
scriviamo, e poi sortiamo, e indi ceniamo, ma che cosa? Al giorno di
grasso, un mezzo pollo ovvero un piccolo boccone d'arrosto; al giorno di
magro un piccolo pesce; e di poi andiamo a dormire. Est-ce que vous
avez compris?--Redma dafir Soisburgarisch, don as is gschaida. Wir sand
Gottlob gesund da Voda und i. [Footnote: "I rise generally every morning
at 9 o'clock, but sometimes not till 10, when we go out. We dine at
a restaurateur's, after dinner I write, and then we go out again, and
afterwards sup, but on what? on jours gras, half a fowl, or a small
slice of roast meat, on jours maigres a little fish, and then we go to
sleep. Do you understand? Let us talk Salzburgisch, for that is more
sensible. Thank God, my father and I are well" [Patois]] I hope you
and mamma are so also. Naples and Rome are two drowsy cities. A scheni
Schrift! net wor? [Footnote: "Fine writing, is it not?" [Patois.]] Write
to me, and do not be so lazy. Altrimente avrete qualche bastonate di
me. Quel plaisir! Je te casserai la tete. [Footnote: "Otherwise I
will cudgel you soundly. What a pleasure--to break your head!"] I am
delighted with the thoughts of the portraits [of his mother and sister,
who had promised to have their likenesses taken], und i bi korios wias
da gleich sieht; wons ma gfoin, so los i mi und den Vodan a so macho.
Maidli, lass Da saga, wo list dan gwesa he? [Footnote: "And I am anxious
to see what they are like, and then I will have my father and myself
also taken. Fair maiden, say, where have you been, eh?" [Patois.]] The
opera here is Jomelli's; it is fine, but too grave and old-fashioned for
this stage. Madame de' Amicis sings incomparably, and so does Aprile,
who used to sing at Milan. The dancing is miserably pretentious. The
theatre beautiful. The King has been brought up in the rough Neapolitan
fashion, and at the opera always stands on a stool, so that he may look
a little taller than the Queen, who is beautiful and so gracious, for
she bowed to me in the most condescending manner no less than six times
on the Molo.
15.
Naples, June 16, 1770.
I AM well and lively and happy as ever, and as glad to travel. I made
an excursion on the Mediterranean. I kiss mamma's hand and Nannerl's a
thousand times, and am your son, Steffl, and your brother, Hansl.
16.
Rome, July 7, 1770.