and nothing was settled.

Amidst these hopes and delays Leopold Mozart was writing from Salzburg
urging Wolfgang to decide upon a course of action. He reminded him
that he had put his time to but little use up to the present, and that
it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to supply the money for
their maintenance. Wolfgang must give him longer notice of their
change of plans, as 'otherwise all will go wrong'; and he warns his
son to be careful lest he be stranded without money--and 'no money
meant no friends.'

There was justice in these urgings and warnings, for it was a fact
that to Wolfgang life in Mannheim had become so pleasant and
easy-going that it was time that he should be reminded of the call of
duty. In the midst of intercourse with friends, who were only too
willing to second his wishes to remain in Mannheim, Mozart was in
danger of forgetting the sacrifices which were being made for him at
home. Both father and daughter were indeed denying themselves and
working hard to keep up the supplies of money. In addition to being
heavily in debt on Wolfgang's account, Leopold had increased his
labours by giving music-lessons at a small fee, whilst Marianne was
practising all manner of shifts to make ends meet. Each fresh
disappointment which her brother's letters conveyed caused 'Nannerl's'
tears to flow with sympathy and vexation, and added to her father's
anxieties.

The latest letter had brought the depressing intelligence that, after
tedious delays, the Elector had decided that he could not see his way
to offering Mozart the engagement which he sought. Nothing remained to
be done, therefore, but to relinquish the idea of wintering in
Mannheim. But coupled with this announcement of failure, Wolfgang had
let drop some complaints on the subject of lesson-giving which aroused
his father to the pitch of administering a severe rebuke. Wolfgang's
protest was to the effect that so long as he was called upon to seek
work in the shape of music-lessons at small fees, the time which he
felt ought to be given to composition must suffer serious curtailment,
with the result that his progress would inevitably be hindered, if it
were not brought to an actual standstill. There was doubtless sound
sense behind this protest, for who could deny that Wolfgang's aims
were high, or that he possessed the power to accomplish great things
with his art? It is, however, easy to understand that his expressed
disinclination to g