Dear and
most excellent Herr Simrock,
I have waited
and waited with longing for the sonata which I gave you -- but
in vain -- Kindly write to me and let me know what is happening
to it -- whether you filched it from me -- merely in order to
give it to the moths for food? -- or do you want to have a special
Imperial privilege conferred upon you for this work? -- Well,
I should have thought that that could have easily happened a long
time ago. Where is that dilatory devil -- who is to shove out
the sonata? -- You are usually the nimble devil, you are known
to be, like Faust long ago, in league with the devil and on that
account just as much beloved by your comrades. Once more -- where
is your devil -- or what sort of the devil is he -- who is sitting
on my sonata and with whom you have not come to an understanding?
Make haste, therefore, and let me know when I am to see the s[onata]
brought to the light of day -- Well, when you let me know the
date you have fixed, I will send you at wants a little note for
Kreutzer; and you will be so kind as to enclose it when you send
him a copy (since in any case you send your copies to Paris or
they may even be engraved in there) -- This Kreutzer is a dear
kind fellow who during his stay in Vienna gave me a great deal
of pleasure. I prefer his modesty and natural behavior to all
the exterior without any interior, which is characteristic of
most virtuosi -- As the sonata was written for a competent violinist,
the dedication to Kreutzer is all the more appropriate -- Although
we correspond (that is to say, he gets one letter are year from
me), yet -- I trust that he has not yet heard anything about my
dedication -- I am always been told that you are more and more
firmly establishing your good fortune, and I am sincerely delighted
to hear this -- Give my greetings to all the members of your family
and to all others who in your opinion would be pleased to receive
a greeting from me -- Please reply soon.
Beethoven