of his contemporaries.  His musical library was scant, consisting of a small collection of the works of the early Italian masters, bound in one volume, some of Mozart’s sonatas—­which must have seemed to him curiously stunted and commonplace in comparison with his own—­and a portion of Don Giovanni.  In addition, he possessed all of Clementi’s sonatas, which he greatly admired and which formed the basis of the musical studies of his nephew for several years.  Lastly there were a few works of Bach, consisting of the Well-tempered Clavichord, some motets, three volumes of exercises, some inventions, symphonies and a toccato.

In speaking of Weber he said that he began to learn too late, and makes the curious criticism that Weber’s only apparent effort was to attain the reputation of geniality.  In reading Freischutz, he said he could hardly help smiling at certain parts, but afterward qualified this by saying that he could judge it better if he could hear it.  Schindler says, that when Rossini came to Vienna in 1822, and endeavored to call on Beethoven, the master succeeded in escaping his visits.  His opinion of Haendel is high.  He once remarked to a friend who called on him, “Haendel is the greatest composer that ever lived.”  Continuing the narrative this friend, J.A.  Stumpf of London, says, “I cannot describe the pathos and sublimity with which he spoke of the Messiah of that immortal genius.  We all felt moved when he said, ’Ich wuerde mein Haupt entbloessen und auf seinem Grabe niederknieen.’ (I would kneel at his grave with uncovered head.)”

Of Mozart, he said, near the end of his life, in a letter to the Abbe Stadler, “All my life I have been esteemed one of the greatest admirers of Mozart’s genius and will remain so until my latest breath.”  Czerny said that he was at times inexhaustible in praise of Mozart, although he cared nothing for his piano works and he makes a severe criticism on Don Giovanni.  “In this opera Mozart still retained the complete Italian cut and style.  Moreover, the sacred art should never be degraded to the foolery of so scandalous a subject.  The Zauberfloete will ever remain his greatest work, for in this he showed himself the true German composer.”  Of Cherubini’s Requiem he said, “as regards his conception of it, my ideas are in perfect accord with his and sometime I mean to compose a Requiem in that style.” (Later in life his opinion of Cherubini was greatly modified).  He seldom spoke of Haydn, and had nothing of that master’s compositions in his library.

Beethoven’s collections in literature were far more extensive and interesting than in music.  He was essentially a student.  His predilections and thoughts all tended toward the acquisition of knowledge.  This was a veritable passion with him.  His mind ranged through almost every department of literature.  In the intervals of his work, worn by fatigue, he was in the habit of resting his mind by reading the classics, or Persian literature.