Solo Sonata, Op. 22. 
Symphony, Op. 21. 
Septet, Op. 20. 
Concerto, Op. 19.

I will send you their various titles shortly.

Put me down as a subscriber to Sebastian Bach’s works [see Letter 20], and also Prince Lichnowsky.  The arrangement of Mozart’s Sonatas as quartets will do you much credit, and no doubt be profitable also.  I wish I could contribute more to the promotion of such an undertaking, but I am an irregular man, and too apt, even with the best intentions, to forget everything; I have, however, mentioned the matter to various people, and I everywhere find them well disposed towards it.  It would be a good thing if you would arrange the septet you are about to publish as a quintet, with a flute part, for instance; this would be an advantage to amateurs of the flute, who have already importuned me on the subject, and who would swarm round it like insects and banquet on it.

Now to tell you something of myself.  I have written a ballet ["Prometheus"], in which the ballet-master has not done his part so well as might be.  The F——­ von L——­ has also bestowed on us a production which by no means corresponds with the ideas of his genius conveyed by the newspaper reports.  F——­ seems to have taken Herr M——­ (Wenzel Mueller?) as his ideal at the Kusperle, yet without even rising to his level.  Such are the fine prospects before us poor people who strive to struggle upwards!  My dear friend, pray lose no time in bringing the work before the notice of the public, and write to me soon, that I may know whether by my delay I have entirely forfeited your confidence for the future.  Say all that is civil and kind to your partner, Kuehnel.  Everything shall henceforth be sent finished, and in quick succession.  So now farewell, and continue your regards for

Your friend and brother,

BEETHOVEN.

22.

TO HERR HOFMEISTER.

Vienna, June, 1801.

I am rather surprised at the communication you have desired your business agent here to make to me; I may well feel offended at your believing me capable of so mean a trick.  It would have been a very different thing had I sold my works to rapacious shopkeepers, and then secretly made another good speculation; but, from one artist to another, it is rather a strong measure to suspect me of such a proceeding!  The whole thing seems to be either a device to put me to the test, or a mere suspicion.  In any event I may tell you that before you received the septet from me I had sent it to Mr. Salomon in London (to be played at his own concert, which I did solely from friendship), with the express injunction to beware of its getting into other hands, as it was my intention to have it engraved in Germany, and, if you choose, you can apply to him for the confirmation of this.  But to give you a further proof of my integrity, “I herewith give you the faithful assurance that I have neither sold the septet, the symphony, the concerto, nor the sonata to any one but to Messrs. Hofmeister and Kuehnel, and that they may consider them to be their own exclusive property.  And to this I pledge my honor.”  You may make what use you please of this guarantee.