things. During the
Stuttgart period, his finances became so low, that on one occasion he
had to spend several days in prison for debt. Determined to recruit
his fortunes, he began traveling to other towns to make known his art.
In Mannheim, Darmstadt and Baden, he gave concerts, bringing out
in each place some of his newer pieces, and earning enough at each
concert to last a few weeks, when another concert would keep the wolf
from the door a little longer.

In 1810, when he was twenty-four, he finished his pretty opera "Abu
Hassan," which, on the suggestion of his venerable master, Vogler,
he dedicated to the Grand Duke. The Duke accepted the dedication with
evident pleasure, and sent Carl a purse of gold, in value about two
hundred dollars. The opera was performed on February 6, 1811, and its
reception was very gratifying to the composer. The Grand Duke took one
hundred and twenty tickets and the performance netted over two hundred
florins clear profit. It was after this that Carl Maria went on a tour
of the principal German cities and gave concerts in Munich, Prague,
Berlin, Dresden and other places. He was everywhere welcomed, his
talents and charming manners winning friends everywhere. Especially in
Prague he found the highest and noblest aristocracy ready to bid him
welcome.

Weber paid a visit to Liebich, director of the Prague theater, almost
as soon as he arrived in town. The invalid director greeted him
warmly.

"So, you are _the_ Weber! I suppose you want me to buy your operas.
One fills an evening, the other doesn't. Very well, I will give
fifteen hundred florins for the two. Is it a bargain?" Weber accepted,
and promised to return the next spring to conduct the operas. He kept
his promise, and the result was much better than he ever dreamed. For
beyond the performance of his operas, he was offered the post of music
director of the Prague theater, which post was just then vacant.
The salary was two thousand florins, with a benefit concert at a
guaranteed sum of one thousand more, and three months leave of absence
every year. This assured sum gave young Weber the chance of paying his
debts and starting afresh, which, he writes "was a delight to him."

The composer now threw himself heart and soul into improving the
orchestra placed in his charge. Before long he had drilled it to a
high state of excellence. Many new operas were put on the stage in
quick succession. Thus Weber worked on with great industry