name-day and birthday. Mon tres-cher pere, I can only on this day
wish for you, what from my whole heart I wish for you every day
and every night--health, long life, and a cheerful spirit. I
would fain hope, too, that you have now less annoyance than when
I was in Salzburg; for I must admit that I was the chief cause of
this. They treated me badly, which I did not deserve, and you
naturally took my part, only too lovingly. I can tell you this
was indeed one of the principal and most urgent reasons for my
leaving Salzburg in such haste. I hope, therefore, that my wish
is fulfilled. I must now close by a musical congratulation. I
wish that you may live as many years as must elapse before no
more new music can be composed. Farewell! I earnestly beg you to
go on loving me a little, and, in the mean time, to excuse these
very poor congratulations till I open new shelves in my small and
confined knowledge-box, where I can stow away the good sense
which I have every intention to acquire.



74.

Mannheim, Nov. 13, 1777.

We received your last two letters, and now I must answer them in
detail. Your letter desiring me to inquire about Becke's parents
[in Wallerstein, No. 68] I did not get till I had gone to
Mannheim, so too late to comply with your wish; but it never
would have occurred to me to do so, for, in truth, I care very
little about him. Would you like to know how I was received by
him? Well and civilly; that is, he asked where I was going. I