and
although he made many mistakes, and was on the point of breaking down
several times, he persisted to the end.

With his devotion to music and all that concerned the art, Wolfgang
possessed a lovable, affectionate nature that yielded a ready
obedience to his parents' wishes. For his mother, Anna Maria, and his
sister Marianne he showed great fondness, but before either of these
he placed his father. 'Next to God comes papa,' he used to say. He
could be very merry on occasions, but a natural seriousness which
showed itself in connection with his love for music gave rise to fears
that he would not survive his childhood. Music to him was
all-absorbing--everything else had to yield to it, and nothing could
take its place. When Herr Schachtner, who had grown very fond of the
child, carried him from one room to another the march had to be
accompanied by the beating of a drum, and the only toys he cared for
were such as could make music. When musical sounds were not actually
forthcoming the rhythmical movements of his body and limbs implied
their existence beneath the surface.

The family were in poor circumstances, for Leopold Mozart had no means
beyond the salary which he received from the Court. The discovery of
his children's gifts, therefore, offered the father a strong
inducement to turn their powers to advantage, both for the supply of
the family's needs and to provide for Wolfgang and Marianne a sound
education in music. With this object he determined to travel with the
children, as Salzburg itself offered no facilities for making their
talents known. A first experiment in January, 1762, proved so
successful that in the following September they set out for Vienna
with the object of playing before the Imperial Court. Wolfgang was at
this time six years old, and Marianne eleven. At Linz, where they
stopped for several days, they gave a successful concert under the
patronage of the Governor-General of the province. Every one was
delighted with the playing of the children, and they were fortunate in
securing the presence of a young nobleman who happened to be visiting
at the Governor's house on his way to Vienna, for he was sure to carry
the news of what he had heard to the capital. From this point they
continued their journey by water as far as the monastery of Ips, where
they purposed resting for the night.

The grey old building, seated on the banks of the Danube, with the
waters of the river lapping the base of