rried letters of introduction from Count
Waldstein and from the Elector, which opened to him the doors of the
best houses. His intrinsic worth did the rest. One of his earliest
Vienna friends was Prince Lichnowsky, a person who seems to have
possessed a combination of all those noble qualities that go to make up
the character of a gentleman. Highly cultivated and enthusiastic on the
subject of music, he had the penetration to see that in Beethoven he had
before him one of the elect of all time. The Prince had been a pupil of
Mozart and an ardent admirer of the deceased master. Providentially,
Beethoven appeared on the scene soon after Mozart's decease, and
received the devotion and admiration that had formerly been given
Mozart. In this he was ably seconded by his wife, who shared with him
the admiration and reverential wonder which such highly endowed people
would be apt to accord to a man of genius. One of the first acts of
this princely couple was to give Beethoven a pension of 600 florins per
year. This was but the beginning of unexampled kindness on their part.
They followed this by giving him a home in their residence on the
Schotten bastion, and we find him well launched in the social life of
the gayest capital in Europe.

This practical help was invaluable to Beethoven, for with the aid which
he had from the Elector, it was almost enough to assure him
independence. It not only increased his opportunities for study, but,
his mind being free from care, he was enabled to profit more by his
studies. The Lichnowskys were older than Beethoven and were childless.
He was allowed to do as he pleased; a privilege of which he availed
himself without hesitation. They entertained considerably and their
social position was unexceptionable. They maintained a small orchestra
for the performance of the music he liked and for his own compositions.
He was always the honored guest, and met the best people of Vienna. The
devotion of the Princess, in particular, was always in evidence.

It can be readily understood that with such an original character as
Beethoven, headstrong and impatient of restraint, a pleasant smooth life
was not to be expected. The arrangement would seem to have been an
excellent one for him, but he did not so regard it. Already at odds with
the world, misunderstanding people and being misunderstood, he soon came
to realize that a life of solitude was the only resource for a man
constituted as he was. He never