parts of the world, capable of correcting them; therefore do not disturb your natural gift."

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Melody is the essence of music," continued he; "I compare a good melodist to a fine racer, and counterpointists to hack post-horses; therefore be advised, let well alone, and remember the old Italian proverb-Chi sa più, meno sa-Who knows most, knows least." The opinion of this great man made on me a lasting impression.

My friend Attwood (a worthy man, and an ornament to the musical world) was Mozart's favourite scholar, and it gives me great pleasure to record what Mozart said to me about him; his words were, "Attwood is a young man for whom I have a sincere affection and esteem; he conducts himself with great propriety, and I feel much pleasure in telling you, that he partakes more of my style than any scholar I ever had; and I predict, that he will prove a sound musician." Mozart was very liberal in giving praise to those who deserved it; but felt a thorough contempt for insolent mediocrity. He was a member of the Philharmonic Society of Bologna and Verona; and when at Rome, the Pope conferred on him the Cross and Brevet of Knight of Lo Sprone d'Oro.

At the time of which I am speaking, music was in the highest state of perfection at Vienna; for, independent of the great talents that were stationary,

there was a number of the most celebrated artists passing from Italy to Poland, Prussia, and Russia, most of whom gave concerts at Vienna. The · Emperor usually attended them, and amply rewarded the performers. The celebrated Marchesi came from Venice to Vienna, on his road to Petersburg, where he was engaged for the Italian opera. He gave a concert, and was honoured by the Emperor's presence, and a brilliant audience; he was a great singer, and in the prime of his abilities. During his stay at Vienna, he was on a visit to the Venetian Ambassador, who, in compliment to him, gave a grand dinner to the Italian performers, amongst whom, I had the honour of being invited; -the banquet was splendid. His Excellency was a great gourmand, and was a good deal ridiculed for his attention to the gastronomic art; he gave his cook five hundred zecchinos per annum, but he was rich, and had a right to please himself. For my own part, though not much of an epicure, I think a good cook an essential personage in an establishment, and in the end, an economical one; and there is no place, generally speaking, where the art of cookery is better understood than at Vienna.

During my stay, I had the pleasure of hearing two of the first performers on the violin, perhaps in the world; both gave concerts, and their performance was truly exquisite, although in different styles.

The first was Giornovick, who was on his way from Russia to Paris, and had been many years first concerto player at the court of Petersburg. He was a man of a certain age, but in the full vigour of talent; his tone was very powerful, his execution most rapid, and his taste above all alluring. No performer, in my remembrance, played such pleasing music. He generally closed his concertos with a rondo, the subject of which was some popular Russian air, to which he composed variations with enchanting taste; his performance reminded me strongly of the celebrated La Motte, whom I had often heard at the Rotunda in Dublin.

Janewitz, the other, was a very young man, in the service of the King of Poland; he also touched the instrument with thrilling effect, and was an excellent leader of an orchestra. His concertos always finished with some pretty Polonaise air; his variations also were truly beautiful.

But the Apollo, the Orpheus of the age, was the redoubted and renowned Baron Bach, who came to Vienna to be heard by the Emperor. He (in his own conceit) surpassed Tartini, Nardini, &c. &c. This fanatico per la musica had just arrived from Petersburg, where he went to make his extraordinary talents known to the Royal Family and Court. Now, I have often heard this man play, and I positively declare, that his performance was as bad as any blind fiddler's

at a wake in a country town in Ireland; but he was a man of immense fortune, and kept open house. In every city which he passed through, he gave grand dinners, to which all the musical professors were invited; at Vienna, myself among the rest. One day, having a mind to put his vanity to the test, I told him that he reminded me of the elder Cramer. He seemed rather disappointed than pleased with my praise he acknowledged Cramer had some merit, that he had played with him out of the same book at Manheim, when Cramer was first voilin at that Court; but that the Elector said that his tone was far beyond Cramer's, for Cramer was tame and slothful, and he was all fire and spirit; and that, to make a comparison between them, would be to compare a dove to a game cock. In my life, I never knew any man who snuffed up the air of praise like this discordant idiot.

After he had been heard by the Emperor (who laughed heartily at him) he set off for London, in order that the King of England might have an opportunity of hearing his dulcet strains. When he had taken his departure, another violin player arrived from Russia, a Doctor Fisher, a most eccentric man, possessing some merit in his profession, but a bit of a quack, and an inordinate prattler; he related strange things of himself, and was particularly tenacious of his veracity. The