this time with Beethoven as the central figure.  A resident of Linz, a certain Herr Graf von Doenhoff, who was a great admirer of Beethoven, gave an entertainment in his honor.  After some of his music had been rendered by others, Beethoven was asked to extemporize, which he declined absolutely to do.  Shortly after he disappeared.  Supper being ready a search for him was instituted, but he was not to be found, so the company, after some delay, repaired to the adjoining room.  They had hardly seated themselves at the table, when they heard some one at the piano.  Gradually, one by one, they found themselves in the other room, where Beethoven was extemporizing.  This he kept up for nearly an hour, when, suddenly coming to a realization of the circumstances, and looking around, he saw the entire company listening in rapt attention.  He at once got up from the instrument and hastily left the room, either through anger or embarrassment.  Such was his haste that he ran against a table containing fine porcelain bric-a-brac, which, of course, was shattered.  The Count, with easy good nature, made some reassuring remark, upon which they all made another essay at the supper.

His object in going to Linz was not altogether for the purpose of making visits.  A disagreeable duty had to be performed; Johann’s relations with a young woman, whom he had taken as housekeeper, had become a scandal; the good repute of the family was at stake, and Beethoven went there with the express design of putting an end to the matter.  Johann was not at all amenable to argument, and contested the elder brother’s right to interfere.  The dispute became so bitter that a personal combat between the brothers occurred.  It finally required the combined ecclesiastical and secular authority of Linz (bishop, magistrate and police), to effect the expulsion of the lady from town.  At this turn of affairs, Johann, bound to have his own way, married her.

This year saw the completion of the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies besides other important compositions; not so bad an achievement for a sick man, this record of two years’ work.  Sick or well, at home or abroad, his work went on; it was a part of his life, as necessary, apparently, as eating or sleeping.  In size the Seventh Symphony exceeds any of the preceding ones.  “Eine meiner vorzueglichsten” (one of my best), is Beethoven’s statement in regard to it.  Here the composer’s meaning is not so readily elucidated as in the Pastoral, for instance.  It means all things to all people.  He usually had a clearly defined purpose or idea before him when composing, particularly in the case of his large orchestral works.  Of the creations of such a man, it was to be expected that they would increase in grandeur with each succeeding one.  Every great thing achieved is only an earnest of still greater in reserve.  The fertility of his mind was exhaustless.  As he penetrated deeper into this new world of the imagination, wider vistas were constantly being opened