Boccherini is my first favourite; I know 2 or 3 sets of his Quartetts well; but the impossibility of getting his Quintetts done even tolerably in the country has prevented my knowing or meeting with them. I admire Haydn in his way; but Boccherini many degrees more; to me, Haydn is Comedy, Boccherini Tragedy; in Music, Tragedy is better than Comedy. When I play Boccherini, my very soul is at my finger’s ends. And tho’ he is sometimes difficult, he is not so, like Haydn, for the sake of difficulty, but he follows where his fancy leads & it happens to lead him into difficulties; at least, what is so to dilletanti performers. << less