years old, who at once gave tokens of a degree of genius far
surpassing all experience, and really bordering on the
marvellous. In his fourth year he could play all sorts of little
pieces on the piano. He only required half an hour to learn a
minuet, and one hour for a longer movement; and in his fifth year
he actually composed some pretty short pieces, several of which
are still extant.

[Footnote: The Grand Duchess Helene Paulowna, a few weeks ago,
made a present to the Mozarteum of the music-book from which
Mozart learned music, and in which he wrote down his first
compositions.]

The wonderful acquirements of both these children, to which
Wolfgang soon added skilful playing on the violin and organ,
induced their father to travel with them. In January, 1702, when
the boy was just six years old, they went first to Munich, and in
the autumn to Vienna, the children everywhere on their journey
exciting the greatest sensation, and being handsomely
remunerated. Leopold Mozart, therefore, soon afterwards resolved
to undertake a longer journey, accompanied by his whole family.
This lasted more than three years, extending from the smaller
towns in West Germany to Paris and London, while they visited, on
their way back, Holland, France, and Switzerland. The careful
musical instruction which the father perseveringly bestowed on
his son, went hand in hand with the most admirable education, and
the boy was soon as universally beloved for his amiable
disposition and natural simplicity and candor, as admired for his
rare gifts and acquirements.