.

WELL BORN, AND YET EVIL BORN! (AS WE ALL ARE!)

We are in Baden to-day, and intend to bring the celebrated naturalist
Ribini a collection of dead leaves. To-morrow we purpose paying you not
only a _visit_ but a _visitation_.

Your devoted

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN.

193.

TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLPH.

November, 1816.[1]

I have been again much worse, so that I can only venture to go out a little
in the daytime; I am, however, getting better, and hope now to have the
honor of waiting on Y.R.H. three times a week. Meanwhile, I have many and
great cares in these terrible times (which surpass anything we have ever
experienced), and which are further augmented by having become the father
since last November of a poor orphan. All this tends to retard my entire
restoration to health. I wish Y.R.H. all imaginable good and happiness, and
beg you will graciously receive and not misinterpret

Your, &c., &c.

[K.]

[Footnote 1: A year after Carl von Beethoven's death (Nov. 15, 1815).]

194.

TO FREIHERR VON SCHWEIGER.

BEST!

MOST AMIABLE!

FIRST AND FOREMOST TURNER MEISTER OF EUROPE!

The bearer of this is a poor devil! (like many another!!!) You could assist
him by asking your gracious master whether he is disposed to purchase one
of his small but neat pianos. I also beg you will recommend him to any of
the Chamberlains or Adjutants of the Archduke Carl, to see whether it is
possible that H.R.H. would buy one of these instruments for his Duchess. We
therefore request an introduction from the illustrious _Turner Meister_ for
this poor devil[1] to the Chamberlains and Adjutants of the household.

Likewise

1

poor devil,

[K.] L. V. BEETHOVEN.

[Footnote 1: A name cannot now be found for the "poor devil."]

195.

TO G. DEL RIO.

Nov. 16, 1816.

MY DEAR FRIEND,--

My household seems about to make shipwreck, or something very like it. You
know that I was duped into taking this house on false pretexts; besides, my
health does not seem likely to improve in a hurry. To engage a tutor under
such circumstances, whose character and whose very exterior even are
unknown to me, and thus to intrust my Carl's education to hap-hazard, is
quite out of the question, no matter how great the sacrifices which I shall
be again called on to make. I beg you, therefore, to keep Carl for the
ensuing quarter, commencing on the 9th. I will in so far comply with your
proposal as to the cultivation of the science of mu