ne of you to keep as an heirloom the
instruments given to me by Prince L., but let no strife arise between
you concerning them; if money should be of more service to you, just
sell them. How happy I feel, that, even when lying in my grave, I may be
useful to you!

So let it be. I joyfully hasten to meet death. If it come before I have
had opportunity to develop all my artistic faculties, it will come, my
hard fate notwithstanding, too soon, and I should probably wish it
later--yet even then I shall be happy, for will it not deliver me from a
state of endless suffering? Come when thou wilt, I shall face thee
courageously. Farewell, and when I am dead do not entirely forget me.
This I deserve from you, for during my lifetime I often thought of you,
and how to make you happy. Be ye so.

LUDWIG VON BEETHOVEN.

Heiligenstadt, October 6, 1802.

NO. 136

TO THERESE VON MALFATTI

(1807)

You receive herewith, honored Therese, what I promised, and had it not
been for serious hindrances you would have received more, in order to
show you that I always _offer more to my friends than I actually
promise_. I hope and have every reason to believe that you are nicely
occupied and as pleasantly entertained--but I hope not too much, so that
you may also think of us. It would probably be expecting too much of
you, or overrating my own importance, if I ascribed to you: "Men are not
only together when they are together; even he who is far away, who has
departed, is still in our thoughts." Who would ascribe anything of the
kind to the lively T., who takes life so easily?

Pray do not forget the pianoforte among your occupations, or, indeed,
music generally. You have such fine talent for it. Why not devote
yourself entirely to it--you who have such feeling for all that is
beautiful and good? Why will you not make use of this, in order that you
may recognize in so beautiful an art the higher perfection which casts
down its rays even on us. I am very solitary and quiet, although lights
now and again might awaken me; but since you all went away from here, I
feel in me a void which cannot be filled; my art, even otherwise so
faithful to me, has not been able to gain any triumph. Your piano is
ordered, and you will soon receive it. What a difference you will have
found between the treatment of the theme I improvised one evening, and
the way in which I recently wrote it down for you! Explain that to
yourself, but don't take too much