English violinist and composer. Linley, a child prodigy and pupil of William Boyce, studied violin in Florence with Pietro Nardini from 1768-1771; it was there that he met Mozart, in April 1770. Wolfgang and Linley became fast friends, frequently playing together. Mozart and Linley subsequently corresponded although only one of their letters survives, from Wolfgang to Thomas (10 September 1770, letter 208). After his return to England, Linley played concerts in Bath and became leader of the Drury Lane orchestra; he died prematurely in a boating accident in 1778. Lit.: Beechey, `Thomas Linley, Junior, 1756–1778`; Clive, Mozart and his Circle, 91