In haste, your

BEETHOVEN.

224.

TO G. DEL RIO.

I request you, my dear friend, to inquire whether in any of the houses in your vicinity there are lodgings to be had at Michaelmas, consisting of a few rooms.  You must not fail to do this for me to-day or to-morrow.

Your friend,

L. VAN BEETHOVEN.

P.S.—­N.B.  Though I would gladly profit by your kind offer of living in your garden-house, various circumstances render this impossible.  My kind regards to all your family.

225.

TO G. DEL RIO.

HOUSE OF GIANNATASIO!—­

The treatise on the piano is a general one,—­that is, it is a kind of compendium.  Besides, I am pleased with the Swiss [probably Weber, a young musician who had been recommended to him], but the “Guaden” is no longer the fashion.

In haste, the devoted servant and friend of the Giannatasio family,

BEETHOVEN.

226.

TO G. DEL RIO.

You herewith receive through Carl, my dear friend, the ensuing quarter due to you.  I beg you will attend more to the cultivation of his feelings and kindness of heart, as the latter in particular is the lever of all that is good; and no matter how a man’s kindly feeling may be ridiculed or depreciated, still our greatest authors, such as Goethe and others, consider it an admirable quality; indeed, many maintain that without it no man can ever be very distinguished, nor can any depth of character exist.

My time is too limited to say more, but we can discuss verbally how in my opinion Carl ought to be treated on this point.

Your friend and servant,

L. VAN BEETHOVEN.

Alser Vorstadt—­Beim Apfel, 2ter Etage,
No. 12, Leiberz, Dressmaker.

227.

TO G. DEL RIO.

This is at any rate the first time that it has been necessary to remind me of an agreeable duty; very pressing business connected with my art, as well as other causes, made me totally forget the account, but this shall not occur again.  As for my servant bringing home Carl in the evening, the arrangement is already made.  In the mean time I thank you for having been so obliging as to send your servant for him yesterday, as I knew nothing about it, so that Carl probably must otherwise have remained at Czerny’s.  Carl’s boots are too small, and he has repeatedly complained of this; indeed, they are so bad that he can scarcely walk, and it will take some time before they can be altered to fit him.  This kind of thing ruins the feet, so I beg you will not allow him to wear them again till they are made larger.

With regard to his pianoforte studies, I beg you will keep him strictly to them; otherwise his music-master would be of no use.  Yesterday Carl could not play the whole day, I have repeatedly wished to hear him play over his lessons, but have been obliged to come away without doing so.