before I left Munich. When he came up to me, we shook hands
cordially. "You see," said he, "how unfortunate I am." These
words and his appearance, which papa is already aware of from
description, so went to my heart that I could only say, with
tears in my eyes, "I pity you from my heart, my dear friend." He
saw how deeply I was affected, so rejoined quite cheerfully, "Now
tell me what you are doing; when I heard that you were in Munich,
I could scarcely believe it; how could Mozart be here and not
long ago have come to see me?" "I hope you will forgive me, but I
had such a number of visits to make, and I have so many kind
friends here." "I feel quite sure that you have indeed many kind
friends, but a truer friend than myself you cannot have." He
asked me whether papa had told me anything of a letter he had
received. I said, "Yes, he did write to me," (I was quite
confused, and trembled so much in every limb that I could
scarcely speak,) "but he gave me no details." He then told me
that Signor Gaetano Santoro, the Neapolitan impresario, was
obliged, owing to impegni and protezione, to give the composition
of the opera for this Carnival to a certain Maestro Valentini;
but he added, "Next year he has three at liberty, one of which is
to be at my service. But as I have already composed six times for
Naples, I don't in the least mind undertaking the less promising
one, and making over to you the best libretto, viz. the one for
the Carnival. God knows whether I shall be able to travel by that
time, but if not, I shall send back the scrittura. The company
for next year is good, being all people whom I have recommended.
You must know that I have such influence in Naples that, when I
say engage such a one, they do so at once." Marquesi is the primo
uomo, whom he, and indeed all Munich too, praises very highly;
Marchiani is a good prima donna; and there is a tenor, whose name