a hard doom; but I resign myself to the decrees of fate,
and only constantly pray to God that His holy will may ordain that while
thus condemned to suffer death in life, I may be shielded from want. The
Almighty will give me strength to endure my lot, however severe and
terrible, with resignation to His will.

So once more, dear Moscheles, I commend my cause to you, and shall
anxiously await your answer, with highest esteem. Hummel is here, and has
several times come to see me.

Your friend,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Schindler mentions, on Beethoven's authority, that this
gentleman translated Beethoven's letters to Smart into English, which his
nephew had previously done.]

474.[1]

TO SCHINDLER.--

March 17, 1827.

WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL!--

Both the learned gentlemen are defeated, and I shall be saved solely by
Malfatti's skill! You must come to me for a few minutes without fail this
forenoon.

Yours,

BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: Schindler dates this note March 17, 1827, and says that these
are the last lines Beethoven ever wrote. They certainly were the last that
he wrote to Schindler. On the back of the note, in another writing
(probably Schindler's), the receipt is given in pencil for the bath with
hay steeped in it, ordered by Malfatti, which the poor invalid thought had
saved his life. The "learned gentlemen" are Dr. Wawruch and the surgeon
Seibert, who had made the punctures.]

475.

TO MOSCHELES.

Vienna, March 18, 1827.

No words can express my feelings on reading your letter of the 1st of
March. The noble liberality of the Philharmonic Society, which almost
anticipated my request, has touched me to my inmost soul.[1] I beg you,
therefore, dear Moscheles, to be my organ in conveying to the Society my
heartfelt thanks for their generous sympathy and aid.

[Say[2] to these worthy men, that if God restores me to health, I shall
endeavor to prove the reality of my gratitude by my actions. I therefore
leave it to the Society to choose what I am to write for them--a symphony
(the 10th) lies fully sketched in my desk, and likewise a new overture and
some other things. With regard to the concert the Philharmonic had resolved
to give in my behalf, I would entreat them not to abandon their intention.
In short, I will strive to fulfil every wish of the Society, and never
shall I have begun any work with so much zeal as on this occasion. May
Heaven only soon grant me the restoration of m