I yesterday heard of Y.R.H.’s arrival here; joyful tidings for me, but saddened by knowing that it must be some time before I can have the good fortune to wait on Y.R.H.; having been long very ill, at last jaundice declared itself, which I consider a most loathsome malady.  I trust, however, I shall be so far recovered as to see Y.R.H. before you leave this.  Last winter, too, I had some very severe rheumatic attacks.  Much of this proceeds from the melancholy state of my family affairs; I have hitherto hoped, by every possible exertion on my part, at last to remedy these.  That Providence, who searches my inmost heart, and knows that as a man I have striven sacredly to fulfil all the duties imposed on me by humanity, God, and Nature, will no doubt one day extricate me from all these troubles.  The Mass [in D] will be delivered to Y.R.H. here.  I hope Y.R.H. will excuse my entering into the various causes of the delay.  The details could not be otherwise than painful to Y.R.H.  I would often gladly have written to Y.R.H. from here, but you told me to wait till I first heard from you.  What, then, was I to do?  Y.R.H. might have been displeased had I not attended to your injunction, and I know that there are people who are glad to calumniate me to Y.R.H., which pains me exceedingly.  I therefore often think that my sole recourse is to keep quiet till Y.R.H. expresses a wish either to see or to hear of me.  I was told that Y.R.H. had been indisposed, but I hope it was nothing serious.  May Heaven shower down its most precious blessings on Y.R.H.!  I trust it may not be very long before I shall be so fortunate as to assure Y.R.H. how entirely I am, &c., &c.

[K.]

301.

TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLPH.

Unterdoebling, July 18, 1821.

I have written a long and minute letter to Y.R.H., which my copyist Schlemmer will deliver.  I wrote it on hearing the day before yesterday of the arrival of Y.R.H.  How much I grieve that the attack of jaundice with which I am affected prevents my at once hastening to Y.R.H. to express in person my joy at your arrival.  May the Lord of all things, for the sake of so many others, take Y.R.H. under His protection!

[K.]

302.

TO THE MOST CELEBRATED MUSIC FIRM IN EUROPE, MESSRS.  STEINER & CO.,
PATERNOSTER-(MISERERE) GAeSSEL.

I request Geh’-bauer[1] to send me two tickets, as some of my friends wish to attend your hole-and-corner music.  You probably have some of these worthless admission tickets; so let me have one or two.

The part I send belongs to the Chorus, of which Bauer has the other portions.  Your amicus

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1:  Gebauer established the “Concerts Spirituels” in 1819, and died in 1822.]

303.

ADDRESS UNKNOWN.

Baden, Sept. 27, 1821.