d in the following note. The
corrections, or we ought rather to say revisions, of Beethoven, are all
fully and accurately reproduced, at all events in Breitkopf & Haertel's
edition.]

439.

TO HIS NEPHEW.

Tuesday, August 2.

MY DEAR SON,--

Send the enclosed to-morrow morning (Wednesday) to the post; as it refers
to corrections, _haste is absolutely necessary_. We must have done with
this evil old creature! I have scarcely enough to eat, and am forced also
to endure the sauciness and insolence of this most malicious old witch--and
with such wages too! I think I must ask my _pseudo_-brother to come, and
would be glad to engage again the woman from Winter's, in the Kothgasse,
who at least knew how to cook.

Write me a few lines to-morrow, and direct here. I send you another florin.
Do not neglect your bathing; continue well, and guard against _illness_.
Spend your money _on good objects alone_. Be my dear son! What a frightful
discord would it be, were you to prove _false_ to me, as many persons
maintain that you already are! May God bless you! Your attached

FATHER.

N.B. Send off the letter to-morrow (Wednesday). I have heard nothing as yet
of the knives, and my made pens also begin to fail.

440.

TO HIS NEPHEW.

Baden, August

MY DEAR SON,--

I am in mortal anxiety about the Quartet--namely, the third, fourth, fifth,
and sixth parts, that Holz took away, while the first bars of the third
movement have been left here; the number of these sheets is 13. _I hear
nothing of Holz._ I wrote to him yesterday, and he is not usually remiss in
writing. What a sad business it will be if he has lost it! He drinks hard,
_entre nous_. Tranquillize me on this point as quickly as possible. You can
find out Linke's lodgings from Haslinger; he was here to-day and very
friendly, and brought some of the sheets and other things, and begged hard
for the new quartets. Never interfere in this kind of business; it can only
lead to what is unpleasant. For Heaven's sake pacify me about the
Quartet--a serious loss. The sketch is only written on small fragments of
paper, and I could not manage to write out the whole exactly from these.

Your attached

FATHER.

I must remind you that next Sunday and Monday are holidays, so that you may
arrange accordingly. On this occasion you could perhaps, when I come in,
return with me here on Saturday evening, which would give you the whole of
Sunday morning to yourself.

441.