[174] A month before his death.
[175] I had, if my memory serves me, reminded him of Blumauer, who lived many years after having been tapped. I proposed to him to fetch him from the Bohemian baths, take him by a circuitous route to the Upper Rhine, and then down to Coblentz, where he was finally to recover.
[176] On the portrait stands, above his name, "To my long tried and much beloved friend, F. G. Wegeler." There is no date affixed.
[177] I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Neate for the following correspondence, which succeeded the acquaintance formed between the two at Vienna in the year 1815; and, as will be seen, includes a letter from Mr. Neate in elucidation of a misunderstanding which had arisen between them. Beethoven's letters to Ries I extract from Dr. Wegeler's Notices, &c.—ED.
[178] Mr. Neate was at the time one of the directors of the Philharmonic Society.—ED.
[179] This is the title on the piano-forte score.—(Beethoven's own note).
[180] The reader will perceive that I have given this letter without attempting to correct its orthography, conceiving it to be one of those cases where the original imperfection rather adds to than diminishes the interest of the document.—ED.
[181] This letter, not written but signed in Beethoven's own handwriting, is here given in the original English text.—ED.
[182] These were dedicated by the author to Mr. Neate.—ED.
[183] This letter cannot be produced.—ED.