HIGHLY HONORED PRINCESS!—­

As the Prince’s counsel declared that my claim could not be heard till the choice of a guardian had been made, and as I now hear that Y.H. has been graciously pleased yourself to assume that office, but decline receiving any one, I present my humble petition in writing, requesting at the same time your early consideration; for you can easily understand that, relying on a thing as a certainty, it is painful to be so long deprived of it, especially as I am obliged entirely to support an unfortunate sickly brother and his whole family,[1] which (not computing my own wants) has entirely exhausted my resources, having expected to provide for myself by the payment of my salary.  You may perceive the justice of my claims from the fact of my faithfully naming the receipt of the sixty ducats, advanced to me by the late Prince in Prague, the Prince’s counsel himself declaring that I might have said nothing about this sum, the late Prince not having mentioned it either to him or to his cashier.

Forgive my being obliged to intrude this affair on you, but necessity compels me to do so.  Some days hence I shall take the liberty of making inquiries on the subject from the Prince’s counsel, or from any one Y.H. may appoint.

I remain, most esteemed and illustrious Princess,

Your devoted servant,

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1:  See a letter to Ries, Nov. 22d, 1815:—­“He was consumptive for some years, and, in order to make his life easier, I can safely compute what I gave him at 10,000 florins W.W.”]

100.

TO ZMESKALL.

DEAR Z.,—­

Forward the accompanying letter to-day without fail to Brunswick, that it may arrive as soon and as safely as possible.  Excuse the trouble I give you.  I have been again applied to, to send some of my works to Gratz, in Styria, for a concert to be given in aid of the Ursuline convent and its schools:  last year they had very large receipts by this means.  Including this concert, and one I gave in Carlsbad for the benefit of the sufferers from fire at Baden, three concerts have been given by me, and through me, for benevolent purposes in one year; and yet if I ask a favor, people are as deaf as a post.  Your

BEETHOVEN.

I. Letter to Sclowonowitsch (Maitre des bureaux des postes) in Cassel.  I can no longer do without the books of Tiedge and Frau von der Recke, as I am expected to give some opinion about them.

101.

TO HERR JOSEPH VARENNA,—­GRATZ.

MY GOOD SIR,—­

Rode was not quite correct in all that he said of me; my health is not particularly good, and from no fault of my own,—­my present condition being the most unfortunate of my life.  But neither this nor anything in the world shall prevent me from assisting, so far as it lies in my power, the innocent and distressed ladies of your convent by my poor works.  I therefore place at your disposal two new symphonies, a bass aria with chorus, and several minor choruses; if you desire again to perform “Hungaria’s Benefactors,” which you gave last year, it is also at your service.  Among the choruses you will find a “Dervise Chorus,” a capital bait for a mixed public.