Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826 Volume II Part 40

Yours,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Probably the one in F, Op. 135.]

462.

TO CARL HOLZ.

Dec. 1826.

YOUR OFFICIAL MAJESTY,--

I wrote to you on my arrival here a few days ago, but the letter was mislaid; I then became so unwell that I thought it best to stay in bed. I shall therefore be very glad if you will pay me a visit. You will find it less inconvenient, because every one has left Dobling to go to town. I only add, in conclusion,[1]

[Music: Ba.s.s clef, C major, 3/4 time.

Wir ir-ren al-le Samt, Nur je-der ir-ret an-derst.]

As ever, your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Here Beethoven's own writing begins. The slight indisposition that he mentions, in the course of a few days became a serious illness, the result of which was dropsy, and from this the _maestro_ was doomed never to recover. Indeed from that time he never again left his bed.]

463.

TO DR. BACH.[1]

Vienna, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 1827.

MY RESPECTED FRIEND,--

I hereby declare, at my decease, my beloved nephew, Carl van Beethoven, sole heir of all my property, and of seven bank shares in particular, as well as any ready money I may be possessed of. If the law prescribes any modifications in this matter, pray endeavor to regulate these as much as possible to his advantage.

I appoint you his curator, and beg that, together with Hofrath Breuning, his guardian, you will supply the place of a father to him.

G.o.d bless you! A thousand thanks for all the love and friendship you have shown towards me.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: The signature alone is in Beethoven's writing.]

464.

TO WEGELER.

Vienna, February 17, 1827.

MY OLD AND WORTHY FRIEND,--

I received your second letter safely through Breuning. I am still too feeble to answer it, but you may be a.s.sured that its contents were most welcome and agreeable to me.[1] My convalescence, if indeed I may call it such, makes very slow progress, and there is reason to suspect that a fourth operation will be necessary, although the medical men have not as yet decided on this. I arm myself with patience, and reflect that all evil leads to some good. I am quite surprised to find from your last letter that you had not received mine. From this one you will see that I wrote to you on the 10th of December last. It is the same with the portrait, as you will perceive from the date, when you get it. "Frau Steffen spake the word:"

Michael Steffen insisted on sending them by some private hand; so they have been lying here until this very day, and really it was a hard matter to get them back even now. You will receive the portrait by the post, through the Messrs. Schott, who have also sent you the music.

How much is there that I would fain say to you to-day; but I am too weak,[2] so I can only embrace you and your Lorchen in spirit. With true friendship and attachment to you and yours,

Your old and faithful friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Wegeler had reminded him of Blumenauer, who, after being operated on for dropsy, lived for many years in perfect health. He at the same time suggested to him the plan of going with him in the ensuing summer to one of the Bohemian baths, proposing to travel by a circuitous route to the Upper Rhine, and from thence to Coblenz.]

[Footnote 2: Beethoven's last letter to Wegeler. The signature alone is his.]

465.

TO SIR GEORGE SMART,--LONDON.

Feb. 22, 1827.

I remember that some years ago the Philharmonic Society proposed to give a concert for my benefit. This prompts me to request you, dear sir, to say to the Philharmonic Society that if they be now disposed to renew their offer it would be most welcome to me. Unhappily, since the beginning of December I have been confined to bed by dropsy,--a most wearing malady, the result of which cannot yet be ascertained. As you are already well aware, I live entirely by the produce of my brains, and for a long time to come all idea of writing is out of the question. My salary is in itself so small, that I can scarcely contrive to defray my half-year's rent out of it. I therefore entreat you kindly to use all your influence for the furtherance of this project,--your generous sentiments towards me convincing me that you will not be offended by my application. I intend also to write to Herr Moscheles on this subject, being persuaded that he will gladly unite with you in promoting my object. I am so weak that I can no longer write, so I only dictate this. I hope, dear sir, that you will soon cheer me by an answer, to say whether I may look forward to the fulfilment of my request.

In the mean time, pray receive the a.s.surance of the high esteem with which I always remain, &c., &c.

466.

TO HERR MOSCHELES.

Vienna, Feb. 22, 1827.

DEAR MOSCHELES,--

I feel sure that you will not take amiss my troubling you as well as Sir G.

Smart (to whom I enclose a letter) with a request. The matter is briefly this. Some years since, the London Philharmonic Society made me the handsome offer to give a concert in my behalf. At that time I was not, G.o.d be praised! so situated as to render it necessary for me to take advantage of this generous proposal. Things are, however, very different with me now, as for fully three months past I have been entirely prostrated by that tedious malady, dropsy. Schindler encloses a letter with further details.

You have long known my circ.u.mstances, and are aware how, and by what, I live: a length of time must elapse before I can attempt to write again, so that, unhappily, I might be reduced to actual want. You have not only an extensive acquaintance in London, but also the greatest influence with the Philharmonic; may I beg you, therefore, to exercise it, so far as you can, in prevailing on the Society to resume their former intention, and to carry it soon into effect.

The letter I enclose to Sir Smart is to the same effect, as well as one I already sent to Herr Stumpff.[1] I beg you will yourself give the enclosed letter to Sir Smart, and unite with him and all my friends in London in furthering my object. Your sincere friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Stumpff, a Thuringian maker of harps, came to Vienna in 1824, recommended to our _maestro_ by Andreas Streicher in a letter of Sept. 24, in these words:--"The bearer of this is Herr Stumpff, an excellent German, who has lived for thirty-four years in London. The sole reason of his going to Baden is to see you, my revered Beethoven, the man of whom Germany is so proud. Pray receive him in a kind and friendly manner, as beseems the saint to whose shrine the pious pilgrim has made so long a journey." In 1826 he presented Beethoven with the English edition of Handel's works in 40 folio volumes, which the _maestro_ constantly studied during his last illness.

Gerhard v. Breuning, when a youth of fourteen, either held up the separate volumes for him, or propped them against the wall.]

467.