suicide, but wanted to give his uncle a scare.  By working on his fears he reasoned that he would be able to have his own way for a long while to come.  He threatened suicide, and the day following this threat actually went so far as to shoot himself.  He was not severely injured, but the attempt on his life rendered him amenable to the laws of his country, and a short confinement in the government hospital followed.

Beethoven was greatly agitated on learning of the rash act.  He had some difficulty in finding him, as the young man had left his quarters and went to another part of the city before carrying out his threat.  With the aid of friends he was finally located and an affecting scene followed in which the master loaded him with kindness, treating him very much as that other prodigal son was treated by his father.

Beethoven’s personal intervention with the magistrate eased the situation for the nephew.  Two very interesting letters from the master in this connection were published some years ago in the Neuen Freien Presse of Vienna, and are included in Herr Kalischer’s Beethovenbriefe published in Berlin in 1902.  The following one shows Beethoven’s ethical character in strong light: 

To the Magistrate Czapka: 

     DEAR SIR: 

Hofrath von Breuning and I have carefully considered what is best to be done.  We think for the time being no other course is practicable than that Karl should remain with me a few days (during the interval until he can enter the military service).  His language is still excitable under the impression that I would reprimand him since he was capable of making an attempt on his life.  He has, however, shown himself quite affectionate toward me.  Be assured that to me fallen humanity is still holy.  A warning from you would probably have good results.  It would do no harm to let him know that unobserved he will be watched while with me.  Accept my highest esteem for yourself, and consider me as one who loves his kind, who desires only good wherever possible. 
                                    Yours respectfully,
BEETHOVEN.

In accordance with the English custom of putting the fool of the family into the army, Stephen von Breuning had hit upon the plan of a military career for Karl since all others seemed closed to him.  Von Breuning, who always had a faculty of being of service to Beethoven, was a counsellor in the war-office.  He urged on Beethoven the feasibility of procuring an appointment for Karl in the army, and interested his superior, Field-marshal Lieutenant von Stutterheim, in the matter.  Beethoven was not greatly in favor of a military career for the young man.  “Uebrigens bin ich gar nicht fuer den Militaerstandt,” he says in a letter to Holz of September 9, when the subject was first broached.  He opposed it for a while, but finally bowed to the inevitable.