effort and deliberation, of all which the result was nothing
else than this, that Moor _must_ kill his Amelia, and that
the action is even a _positive beauty_, in his character; on
the one hand painting the ardent lover, on the other the
Bandit Captain, with the liveliest colours. But the
vindication of this part is not to be exhausted in a single
letter. For the rest, the few words which you propose to
substitute in place of this scene, are truly exquisite, and
altogether worthy of the situation. I should be proud of
having written them.

'As Herr Schwann informs me that the piece, with the music
and indispensably necessary pauses, will last about five
hours (too long for any piece!), a second curtailment of it
will be called for. I should not wish that any but myself
undertook this task, and I myself, _without the sight of a
rehearsal, or of the first representation_, cannot undertake
it.

'If it were possible that your Excellency could fix the
general rehearsal of the piece some time between the
twentieth and the thirtieth of this month, and make good to
me the main expenses of a journey to you, I should hope, in
some few days, I might unite the interest of the stage with
my own, and give the piece that proper rounding-off, which,
without an actual view of the representation, cannot well be
given it. On this point, may I request the favour of your
Excellency's decision soon, that I may be prepared for the
event.

'Herr Schwann writes me that a Baron von Gemmingen has given
himself the trouble and done me the honour to read my piece.
This Herr von Gemmingen, I also hear, is author of the
_Deutsche Hausvater_. I long to have the honour of assuring
him that I liked his _Hausvater_ uncommonly, and admired in
it the traces of a most accomplished man and writer. But what
does the author of the _Deutsche Hausvater_ care about the
babble of a young apprentice? If I should ever have the
honour of meeting Dalberg at Mannheim, and testifying the
affection and reverence I bear him, I will then also press
into the arms of that other, and tell him how dear to me such
souls are as Dalberg and Gemmingen.

'Your thought about the small Advertisement, before our
production of the piece, I exceedingly approve of; along with