purchased in Vienna, and, to the surprise of his father and some friends
who had met to play over some new trios, he performed the second violin
part, and then the first, with correctness, though without method. His
horror of the sound of the trumpet in childhood, and the early passion
he displayed for arithmetic, are well known; to the last he was fond of
figures, and was extremely clever in making calculations; though very
improvident in his pecuniary affairs. The peculiar delicacy of Mozart's
organization is displayed in the fine sense of hearing which he evinced
at a tender age. Schachtner, a trumpeter, who used to visit his father,
had a violin that Wolfgang was fond of playing upon, which he used to
praise extremely for its soft tone, calling it the "_butter fiddle_." On
one occasion, as the boy was amusing himself on his own little violin,
he said to Schachtner, "if you have left your violin tuned as it was
when I last played upon it, it must be full half-a-quarter of a note
flatter than mine." Those present laughed at a nicety of distinction,
upon which the most critical ear could hardly pronounce; but the father,
who had many proofs of the extraordinary memory and exquisite feeling of
his son, sent for the instrument, and it was found to be as the boy had
said. Although he daily gave fresh instances of his extraordinary
endowments, he did not become proud or conceited, but was always an
amiable and tractable child. The affection and sweetness which
characterize his airs were inherent in his disposition, and the
following anecdote accounts for the prevalence of those delightful
qualities in his vein of melody:--"Mozart loved his parents,
particularly his father, so tenderly, that every night before going to
bed he used to sing a little air that he had composed on purpose, his
father having placed him standing in a chair, and singing the second to
him. During the singing he often kissed his father _on the top of the
nose_, (the epicurism of childish fondness), and as soon as this
solemnity was over, he was laid in bed, perfectly contented and happy."