(Mannheim, February 2, 1778, to his father. Mozart wanted to go
with the Weber family (he was in love with Aloysia, his future
sister-in-law) to Italy while his father was desirous that he
should go to Paris.)

24. "I am strongly possessed by the desire to write an opera--
French rather than German, but Italian rather than either German
or French. Wendling's associates are all of the opinion that my
compositions would please extraordinarily in Paris. One thing is
certain; I would not fear the test. As you know I am able to
assimilate and imitate pretty much all styles of composition."

(Mannheim, February 7, 1778, to his father. Wendling was a
flautist in Mannheim.)

25. "I assure you that if I get a commission to compose an opera
I shall not be frightened. True the (French) language is of the
devil's own making, and I fully appreciate all the difficulties
that composers have encountered; but I feel myself as capable of
overcoming them as any other composer. Au contraire when I
convince myself that all is well with my opera, I feel as if my
body were afire--my hands and feet tremble with desire to make
the Frenchman value and fear the German. Why is no Frenchman ever
commissioned to write a grand opera? Why must it always be a
foreigner? In my case the most unendurable thing would be the
singers. Well, I'm ready. I shall begin no dickerings, but if I
am challenged I shall know how to defend myself. But I should
prefer to get along without a duel; I do not like to fight with
dwarfs."