AFTER supper the young branches* of our host had a dance, and Mozart joined them. Madame Mozart told me, that great as his genius was, he was an enthusiast in dancing, and often said that his taste lay in that art, rather than in music. He was a remarkably small man, very thin and pale, with a profusion of fine fair hair, of which he was rather vain.
He gave me a cordial invitation to his house, of which I availed myself, and passed a great part of my time there. He always received me with kindness and hospitality. He was remarkably fond of punch,* of which beverage I have seen him take copious draughts. He was also fond of billiards, and had an excellent billiard table in his house. Many and many a game have I played with him, but always came off second best. He gave Sunday concerts, at which I never was missing. He was kind-hearted, and always ready to oblige; but so very particular, when he played, that if the slightest noise were made, he instantly left off.
* Meaning his children, an allusion to Psalm 128:4 in the Coverdale translation used in the Church of England.
* Punch is a varied mixture of alcoholic drinks and fruit juices. It was introduced to England and thence to Europe in the late seventeenth century by employees of the British East India Company. The name is believed to derive from the Hindi word paanch meaning ‘five’, an allusion to the drink’s five traditional ingredients of alcohol, sugar, fruit juice (lime or lemon), water, and spices.