recently written it out for you!  You must explain this yourself, only do not find the solution in the punch!  How happy you are to get away so soon to the country!  I cannot enjoy this luxury till the 8th.  I look forward to it with the delight of a child.  What happiness I shall feel in wandering among groves and woods, and among trees and plants and rocks!  No man on earth can love the country as I do!  Thickets, trees, and rocks supply the echo man longs for!

TO ZMESKALL

1811.

Most high-born of men!

We beg you to confer some goose-quills on us; we will in return send you a whole bunch of the same sort, that you may not be obliged to pluck out your own.  It is just possible that you may yet receive the Grand Cross of the Order of the Violoncello.  We remain your gracious and most friendly of all friends, BEETHOVEN.

TO ZMESKALL

FEBRUARY 2d, 1812.

Most wonderful of men!

We beg that your servant will engage a person to fit up my apartment; as he is acquainted with the lodgings, he can fix the proper price at once.  Do this soon, you Carnival scamp!!!!!!!

The inclosed note is at least a week old.

TO HIS BROTHER JOHANN

BADEN, May 6th, 1825.

The bell and bell-pulls, etc., etc., are on no account whatever to be left in my former lodging.  No proposal was ever made to these people to take any of my things.  Indisposition prevented my sending for it, and the locksmith had not come during my stay to take down the bell; otherwise it might have been at once removed and sent to me in town, as they have no right whatever to retain it.  Be this as it may, I am quite determined not to leave the bell there, for I require one here, and therefore intend to use the one in question for my purpose, as a similar one would cost me twice as much as in Vienna, bell-pulls being the most expensive things locksmiths have.  If necessary, apply at once to the police.  The window in my room is precisely in the same state as when I took possession, but I am willing to pay for it, and also for the one in the kitchen, 2 florins 12 kreuzers, for the two.  The key I will not pay for, as I found none; on the contrary, the door was fastened or nailed up when I came, and remained in the same condition till I left; there never was a key, so of course neither I myself, nor those who preceded me, could make use of one.  Perhaps it is intended to make a collection, in which case I am willing to put my hand in my pocket.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN.

TO STEPHAN V. BREUNING

My dear and much loved Stephan: 

May our temporary estrangement be for ever effaced by the portrait I now send.  I know that I have rent your heart.  The emotion which you cannot fail now to see in mine has sufficiently punished me for it.  There was no malice towards you in my heart, for then I should be no longer worthy of your friendship.  It was passion both on your part and on mine; but mistrust was rife within me, for people had come between us, unworthy both of you and of me.