re authors of libretti and
songs. The others were prominent in court circles, and their devotion to
music was such as to give weight to the communication. The memorial
itself is discursive to a point which taxes one's patience, but the
expressions of appreciation and friendship are genuine, and must have
gratified Beethoven extremely. Naturally but one outcome was probable as
a result of this memorial. Shortly after receiving it, he announced to
his friends that the initial performance of these works would be held in
Vienna. Strangely, a difficulty at once arose, in the matter of
selecting a suitable place for the performance. Had Beethoven left the
management of the affair in the hands of his friends, and given his
attention to securing sufficient rehearsals for the new Symphony, which
finally had to be produced after being rehearsed twice only, it would
have been better all around. With the vacillating disposition which
characterized him in all business matters, he was not only of no aid,
but so complicated matters by his indecision on every point, that the
arrangements finally came to a standstill, his friends who were
assisting him being at their wits' end. These were Schindler, Count
Lichnowsky, and the violinist Schuppanzich. At this juncture, these old
and tried friends, thinking that strategy might succeed where diplomacy
had failed, hit upon the following plan to bring matters to a focus.
Schindler was at this time living at Beethoven's house, and the plan
decided on was to have Count Lichnowsky and Schuppanzich call there as
if by accident. The conversation would naturally turn to the approaching
concert and leading questions were to be asked Beethoven. His answers in
these years were usually in writing. The gist of these was to be written
out by one of the party, who would then carelessly, or as if in jest,
ask Beethoven to sign the paper, thus committing him to a definite
course. These praise-worthy intentions were carried out with so much
tact and skill that Beethoven not only saw through their innocent ruse,
but discovered in the whole proceeding a deep-laid plot on the part of
these arch-conspirators, whereof he was to be the victim of villainy and
treachery. This dawned on him shortly after the friends had taken their
departure, upon which he wrote the following notes, leaving them on the
piano as was his custom, for Schindler to deliver.

TO THE COUNT MORITZ VON LICHNOWSKY,--
I despise these a