146. "You perhaps already know that the musico Marquesi--
Marquesius di Milano--was poisoned in Naples; but how! He was
in love with a duchess and her real amant grew jealous and sent
three or four bravos to Marquesi and left him the choice of
drinking poison or being massacred. He chose the poison. Being a
timid Italian he died alone and left his gentlemen murderers to
live in rest and peace. Had they come into my room, I would have
taken a few of them with me into the other world, as long as some
one had to die. Pity for so excellent a singer!"

(Munich, December 30, 1780, to his father. Mozart, on the whole,
was one of the most peaceable men on earth, but he was not
wanting in personal courage, and he could fly into transports of
rage.)

147. "If you were to write also to Prince Zeil I should be glad.
But short and good. Do not by any means crawl! That I can not
endure."

(Mannheim, December 10, 1777, to his father. Count Ferdinand von
Zeil was Prince Bishop of Chimsee and favorably disposed towards
Mozart, who was hoping for an appointment in Munich. "If he wants
to do something he can; all Munich told me that." Nothing came of
it.)

148. "Whoever judges me by such bagatelles is also a scamp!"

(Mozart wrote many occasional pieces for his friends,--fitting
them to the players' capacities. Mozart said that the publisher
who bought some of these "bagatelles" and printed them without