moreover, declined to take any fee for their services--a fact which
served to add to the father's gratitude and astonishment. The
advertisement of the concert described Wolfgang and Marianne as
'prodigies of Nature,' and expressed the hope that Wolfgang would meet
with success in a country which had afforded such marked appreciation
and protection to his countryman Handel.

A few weeks later Wolfgang played the harpsichord and organ at
Ranelagh Gardens, a celebrated pleasure resort of the Londoners of
those days, on behalf of a public charity, and held the delighted
attention of a huge crowd which had gathered to hear him. Not long
after this Leopold Mozart was seized with severe illness, and when he
was recovering, the family removed to Chelsea for the sake of the air
and quiet. Chelsea at that time was a riverside village, and the
lodgings of the Mozarts were in Five Fields, a name which conveys a
pleasant suggestion of the country, but, alas! it has long since lost
its ancient signification with its change to Lower Ebury Street,
Pimlico.

[Illustration: '_Chelsea at that time was a riverside
village._']

As the children were not allowed to play any instrument, Wolfgang
spent the time in composition, and one day he confided to Marianne
that he was composing a symphony, and begged her not to forget to
remind him to give a good part to the horns, the horn being a very
favourite instrument with him in those days. The great work was duly
completed, and the father having regained his strength, the family
returned to town. They were accorded a further gracious reception at
Court, and in token of his gratitude Leopold Mozart printed six of
Wolfgang's sonatas for harpsichord and violin, and dedicated them to
the Queen, whose acceptance of the works was accompanied by a present
of fifty guineas. At the concerts which followed the overtures were
all of Wolfgang's composing, and on one occasion the children won
great applause by the performance of a duet for four hands, written by
Wolfgang, a style of composition which was then quite new. The novelty
of the prodigies, however, had to some extent worn off, and the public
were by no means so eager to patronise their performances. Leopold
endeavoured to reawaken interest in their doings by announcing private
exhibitions of the children's skill 'every day from twelve to
three--admittance two shillings and sixpence each person,' but despite
the smallness of the fee, and t