The explanatory remarks, and also the supplementary Lexicon, in
which I have availed myself of Jahn's catalogue, will make the
letters more intelligible to the world at large. The Index, too,
has been most carefully prepared to facilitate references.

Lastly, I return my best thanks to the keeper of the Archives of
the Mozarteum in Salzburg, to Herr Jellinck, and to all the
librarians and collectors of autographs who have assisted me in
my task, either by furnishing me with copies of their Mozart
letters, or by letting me know where I could procure them. I
would also earnestly request all who may possess any Mozart
letters to send me an exact transcript of them in the interest of
Art; for those here given allude to many still unknown, which are
no doubt scattered about here and there, waiting to be brought to
light.

With respect to myself, the best reward I aspire to in return for
the many sacrifices this collection has cost me, is, that my
readers may do justice to the purpose which chiefly guided me
throughout this publication,--my desire being not merely to
benefit science, and to give a graphic description of the
amiability and purity of heart which so distinguished this
attractive man, (for such was my aim in my "Life of Mozart,") but
above all to draw attention afresh to the unremitting zeal with
which Mozart did homage to every advance in Art, striving to make
music more and more the interpreter of man's innermost being. I
also wished to show how much his course was impeded by the
sluggishness and stupidity of the multitude, though partly
sustained by the sympathy of kindred souls, till the glorious