319.

TO HERR KIND.

DEAR KIND,—­

I intend to call on you at latest on Wednesday afternoon at four o’clock, when I will settle everything.

Your obedient

BEETHOVEN.

320.

TO CHERUBINI.[1]

March 15, 1823.

HIGHLY ESTEEMED SIR,—­

I joyfully take advantage of this opportunity to address you.  I have done so frequently in spirit, as I prize your theatrical works beyond others.  The artistic world has only to lament that, in Germany at least, no new dramatic piece of yours has appeared.  Highly as all your works are valued by true connoisseurs, still it is a great loss to art not to possess any fresh production of your great genius for the theatre.

True art is imperishable, and the true artist feels heartfelt pleasure in grand works of genius, and that is what enchants me when I hear a new composition of yours; in fact, I take greater interest in it than in my own; in short, I love and honor you.  Were it not that my continued bad health prevents my going to see you in Paris, with what exceeding delight would I discuss questions of art with you!  Do not think that this is merely intended to serve as an introduction to the favor I am about to ask of you.  I hope and feel convinced that you do not for a moment suspect me of such base sentiments.

I recently completed a grand solemn mass, and have resolved to offer it to the various European courts, as it is not my intention to publish it at present.  I have therefore solicited the King of France, through the French embassy here, to subscribe to this work, and I feel certain that his Majesty would, at your recommendation, agree to do so. Ma situation critique demande que je ne fixe pas seulement, comme ordinnaire, mes voeux au ciel; au contraire, il faut les fixer aussi ["aussi” in Beethoven’s hand] en bas pour les necessites de la vie. Whatever may be the fate of my request to you, I shall forever continue to love and esteem you, et vous resterez toujours celui de mes contemporains que je l’estime le plus.  Si vous me voulez faire un extreme plaisir, c’etait si vous m’ecrivez quelques lignes, ce que me soulagera bien.  L’art unit tout le monde, how much more, then, true artists, et peut-etre vous me dignez aussi to include me in that number. Avec le plus haut estime,

Votre ami et serviteur,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1:  Cherubini declared that he never received this letter.]

321.

TO SCHINDLER.[1]

DEAR SCHINDLER,—­

I am not sure whether the other copy was corrected or not, so I send you this one instead.  As to N. in S——­, I beg you not to say a word; Bl. is already very uneasy on the subject.  In haste, your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1:  We cannot understand what induced Beethoven, who lived in the same house with Schindler, to write to him; but he often did so to persons with whom he could easily have spoken, partly in order to get rid of the matter while it was in his thoughts, and also because he was a great deal from home; that is, going backwards and forwards from one lodging to another, having often several at the same time.]