"Figaro," no opera is cared for but "Figaro," always "Figaro"--truly a great honour for me. Now to return to my diary. As I returned late from the ball, and was tired and sleepy from my journey, it was only natural that I should sleep long; and so it was. Consequently the whole of the next morning was _sine linea_; after dinner we had music as usual; and as I have a very good pianoforte in my room, you can easily imagine that I did not allow the evening to pass without some playing; we got up a little quartet _in caritatis camera_ (and the "schone Bandl hammera," [Vol. II., p. 362] ) among ourselves; and in this way the whole evening again passed _sine linea._ I give you leave to quarrel with Morpheus on my account; he favoured us wonderfully in Prague; why, I cannot tell, but we both slept well. Nevertheless, we were ready at 11 o'clock to go to Pater Unger, and to give a passing glance at the Royal Library and at the Seminary. After we had looked our eyes out, we felt a small menagerie in our insides, and judged it well to drive to Count Canal's to dinner. The evening surprised us sooner than you would believe, and we found it was time for the opera. We heard "Le Gare Generose" (by Paesiello). As to the performance, I can say little, for I talked all the time; the reason I did so, against my usual custom, must have been because--but _basta_--this evening was again spent _al solito_. To-day I am fortunate enough to find a moment in which to inquire after your welfare and that of your parents, and of the whole family of Jacquin. Now farewell; next Friday, the 19th, will be my concert at the theatre; I shall probably be obliged to give a second, and that will lengthen my stay here. On Wednesday I shall see and hear "Figaro"--at least if I am not deaf and blind by that time. Perhaps I shall not become so until _after_ the opera. At the performance of "Figaro" Mozart was received by the numerous audience with tumultuous applause; he was so pleased with the representation, especially with the orchestral part of it, that he expressed his thanks in a letter to Strobach, who conducted it. The Prague orchestra was not strongly appointed,[16] nor did it shine through the names of celebrated virtuosi; but it contained clever and well-schooled musicians, full of fire and of zeal for what was good--the best guarantee of success. Strobach often asserted that he and his orchestra used to get so excited by "Figaro" that, in spite of the actual labour it entailed, they would willingly have played it all over again when they came to the end.[17] {CONCERTS AND COMMISSIONS.} (125) The two concerts which Mozart gave in Prague were also highly successful:-- The theatre was never so full, and delight was never so strongly and unanimously roused as by his divine playing. We scarcely knew which to admire most, his extraordinary compositions or his extraordinary playing; the two together made an impression on our minds comparable only to enchantment.[18]