ack of opportunity here to awaken the
interest Y.R.H. takes in music, which cannot fail to prove so beneficial to
art,--ever my refuge, thank God!

I remain Y.R.H.'s obedient servant,

BEETHOVEN.

395.

TO SCHOTT,--MAYENCE.

Vienna, November 18, 1824.

I regret being obliged to tell you that some little time must yet elapse
before I can send off the works. There was not in reality much to revise in
the copies; but as I did not pass the summer here, I am obliged to make up
for this now, by giving two lessons a day to H.R.H. the Archduke Rudolph.
This exhausts me so much that it almost entirely unfits me for all else.
Moreover, I cannot live on my income, and my pen is my sole resource; but
_no consideration is shown either for my health or my precious time_. I do
hope that this may not long continue, when I will at once complete the
slight revision required. Some days ago I received a proposal which
concerns you also; its purport being that a foreign music publisher was
disposed, &c., &c., to form a connection with you, in order to guard
against piracy. I at once declined the offer, having had sufficiently
painful experience on these matters. (Perhaps this was only a pretext to
spy into my affairs!)

396.

TO CARL HOLZ.

I send you my greetings, and also wish to tell you that I am not going out
to-day. I should be glad to see you, perhaps this evening after your office
hours.

In haste, your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

I am by no means well.

397.

TO CARL HOLZ.

MY WORTHY HOLZ--BE NO LONGER HOLZ [WOOD]!

The well-beloved government wishes to see me to-day at ten o'clock. I beg
you will go in my place; but first call on me, which you can arrange
entirely according to your own convenience. I have already written a letter
to the _powers that be_, which you can take with you. I much regret being
forced to be again so troublesome to you, but my going is out of the
question, and the affair must be brought to a close,

Yours,

BEETHOVEN.

398.

TO SCHOTT,--MAYENCE.

Vienna, December 17 [Beethoven's birthday], 1824.

I write to say that a week must yet elapse before the works can be
dispatched to you. The Archduke only left this yesterday, and much precious
time was I obliged to spend with him. I am beloved and highly esteemed by
him, _but_--I cannot live on that, and the call from every quarter to
remember "that he who has a lamp ought to pour oil into it" finds no
response here.

As the sc