nd caresses unparalleled in the history of
musicians, up to the period of his death gained no situation worthy
his acceptance, but earned his fame in the midst of worldly cares and
annoyances, in alternate abundance and poverty, deceived by pretended
friendship, or persecuted by open enmity. The obstacles which Mozart
surmounted in establishing the immortality of his muse, leave those
without excuse who plead other occupations and the necessity of gaining
a livelihood as an excuse for want of success in the art. Where the
creative faculty has been bestowed, it will not be repressed by
circumstances.

In the exterior of Mozart there was nothing remarkable; he was small in
person, and had a very agreeable countenance, but it did not discover
the greatness of his genius at the first glance. His eyes were tolerably
large and well shaped, more heavy than fiery in the expression; when he
was thin they were rather prominent. His sight was always quick and
strong; he had an unsteady abstracted look, except when seated at the
piano-forte, when the whole form of his visage was changed. His hands
were small and beautiful, and he used them so softly and naturally upon
the piano-forte, that the eye was no less delighted than the ear. It was
surprising that he could grasp so much as he did in the bass. His head
was too large in proportion to his body, but his hands and feet were in
perfect symmetry, of which he was rather vain. The stunted growth of
Mozart's body may have arisen from the early efforts of his mind; not,
as some suppose, from want of exercise in childhood--for then he had
much exercise--though at a later period the want of it may have been
hurtful to him. Sophia, a sister-in-law of Mozart, who is still living,
relates: "he was always good-humoured, but very abstracted, and in
answering questions seemed always to be thinking of something else.
Even in the morning when he washed his hands, he never stood still, but
would walk up and down the room, sometimes striking one heel against the
other; at dinner he would frequently make the ends of his napkin fast,
and draw it backwards and forwards under his nose, seeming lost in
meditation, and not in the least aware of what he did." He was fond of
animals, and in his amusements delighted with any thing new; at one
time of his life with riding, at another with billiards.

* * * * *

The Selector;
AND
LITERARY NOTICES OF
_NEW WORKS_.