Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826 Volume II Part 2

Your true friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Carl Czerny relates in the Vienna _A.M. Zeitung_ of 1845, No.

113, as follows:--"Beethoven came to me usually every day himself with the boy, and used to say to me, 'You must not think that you please me by making Carl play my works; I am not so childish as to wish anything of the kind. Give him whatever you think best.' I named Clementi. 'Yes, yes,' said he, 'Clementi is very good indeed;' and, added he, laughing, 'Give Carl occasionally what is _according to rule_, that he may hereafter come to what is _contrary to rule_.' After a hit of this sort, which he introduced into almost every speech, he used to burst into a loud peal of laughter.

Having in the earlier part of his career been often reproached by the critics with his _irregularities_, he was in the habit of alluding to this with gay humor."]

229.

TO CZERNY.

DEAR CZERNY,--

I beg you will say nothing _on that particular subject_ at Giannatasio's, who dined with us on the day you were so good as to call on me; he requested this himself. I _will tell you the reason_ when we meet. I hope to be able to prove my grat.i.tude for your patience with my nephew, that I may not always remain your debtor. In haste,

Your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

230.

TO CZERNY.

DEAR CZERNY,--

Can you in any way a.s.sist the man I now send to you (a pianoforte maker and tuner from Baden) in selling his instruments? Though small in size, their manufacture is solid. In haste,

Your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

231.

TO ZMESKALL.

Wednesday, July 3, 1817.

DEAR ZMESKALL,--

I have changed my mind. It might hurt the feelings of Carl's mother to see her child in the house of a stranger, which would be more harsh than I like; so I shall allow her to come to my house to-morrow; a certain tutor at Puthon, of the name of Bihler, will also be present. I should be _extremely_ glad if you could be with me about six o'clock, but not later.

Indeed, I earnestly beg you to come, as I am desirous to show the Court that you are present, for there is no doubt that a _Court Secretary_ will be held in higher estimation by them than a man _without an official character, whatever his moral character may be!_

Now, jesting apart, independent of my real affection for you, your coming will be of great service to me. I shall therefore expect you without fail.

I beg you will not take my _badinage_ amiss. I am, with sincere esteem,

Your friend,

BEETHOVEN

232.

TO G. DEL RIO.

Your friend has no doubt told you of my intention to send for Carl early to-morrow. I wish to place his mother in a more creditable position with the neighborhood; so I have agreed to pay her the compliment of taking her son to see her in the company of a third person. This is to be done once a month.

As to all that is past, I beg you will never allude to it again, either in speaking or writing, but forget it all--as I do.

233.

TO FRAU VON STREICHER.

I have been occupied in arranging my papers; an immense amount of patience is required for such an affair as putting them in order, but having once summoned it to our aid we must persevere, or the matter would never be completed. My papers, both musical and unmusical, are nearly arranged at last; it was like one of the seven labors of Hercules![1]

[Footnote 1: Ries (in Wegeler's _Notizen_) relates: "Beethoven placed very little value on the MSS. of his pieces written out by himself; when once engraved they were usually scattered about the anteroom, or on the floor in the middle of his apartment, together with other music. I often arranged his music for him, but the moment Beethoven began to search for any piece, it was all strewed about again."]

234.

TO FRAU VON STREICHER.

You see what servants are! [He had gone out and taken the key with him.]

Such is housekeeping! So long as I am ill, I would fain be on a different footing with those around me; for dearly as I usually love solitude, it is painful to me now, finding it scarcely possible, while taking baths and medicine, to employ myself as usual,--to which is added the grievous prospect that I may perhaps never get better. I place no confidence in my present physician, who at length p.r.o.nounces my malady to be _disease of the lungs_. I will consider about engaging a housekeeper. If I could only have the faintest hope, in this corrupt Austrian State, of finding an honest person, the arrangement would be easily made; but--but!! [He wishes to hire a piano and pay for it in advance; the tone to be as loud as possible, to suit his defective hearing.]

Perhaps you do not know, though I have not always had one of your pianos, that since 1809 I have invariably preferred yours.

It is peculiarly hard on me to be a burden on any one, being accustomed rather to serve others than to be served by them.

235.

TO FRAU VON STREICHER.

I can only say that I am better; I thought much of death during the past night, but such thoughts are familiar to me by day also.

236.

TO F. RIES,--LONDON.

Vienna, July 9, 1817.

MY DEAR FRIEND,--

The proposals in your esteemed letter of the 9th of June are very flattering, and my reply will show you how much I value them. Were it not for my unhappy infirmities, which entail both attendance and expense, particularly on a journey to a foreign country, I would _unconditionally_ accept the offer of the Philharmonic Society. But place yourself in my position, and consider how many more obstacles I have to contend with than any other artist, and then judge whether my demands (which I now annex) are unreasonable. I beg you will convey my conditions to the Directors of the above Society, namely:--