To:Therese Malfatti, Mödling
Vienna, May 1810

 

 

      In this letter, beloved Therese, you are receiving what I promised you.  And indeed, if the most powerful obstacles had not prevented me, you would be receiving still more, if only to show you that I always do more for my friends than I promise – I trust, and have no doubt about it, that your pursuits are just as delightful as your entertainment is pleasant – yet the latter must not be excessively pleasant, so that we too may be remembered – No doubt I should be counting too much on you or valuing my worth too highly if I were to apply to you the saying ‘People are united not only when they are together; even the distant one, the absent one too is present with us’.  Who would apply such a saying to our volatile T[herese] who treats so lightheartedly all the affairs of life? – In connexion with your pursuits be sure not to forget the pianoforte or, in general, music as a whole.  You have such a splendid gift for music, why don’t you cultivate it seriously?  You who have so much feeling for all that is beautiful and good, why will you not direct it to discerning in such a glorious art what is fine and perfect, a quality which in turn ever radiates beauty upon us? – I am leading a very lonely and quiet life.  Although here and there certain lights would like to awaken me, yet since you all left Vienna, I feel within me a void which cannot be filled and which even my art, which is usually so faithful to me, has not yet been able to make me forget – Your pianoforte has been ordered and you will soon have it – I wonder what difference you will have found in the treatment of a theme which was invented one evening and the way in which I have recently written it down for you.  Work it out for yourself, but please do not take punch to help you.

       How fortunate you are to be able to go into the country so soon.  I cannot enjoy this happiness until the 8th, but I look forward to it with childish excitement.  How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes woods, under trees, through grass and around rocks.  No one can love the country as much as I do.  For surely woods, trees and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear –

       You will soon receive a few other compositions of mine; and in these you will not have to complain too much about difficulties – Have you read Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister and Shakespeare in Schlegel’s translation?  One has so much leisure in the country.  Perhaps you would like me to send you these works –

       It so happens that I have an acquaintance who lives near you.  So perhaps you will see me at your house early one morning for half an hour; and then I shall go off again.  You see that I want to bore you for as short a time as possible – Commend me to the goodwill of your father and your mother, although as yet I can rightly make no claim to it – My remembrances also to your cousin M. – Well, all good wishes, beloved T[herese].  I would like you to have everything that is good and beautiful in life.  Remember me and do so with pleasure – Forget my mad behavior – Rest assured that nobody can wish you a gayer and happier life than I and that I desire it even if you take no interest whatever
                              in your most devoted servant and friend
                                                                                                     Beethoven

      NB.  It would be very nice of you if you were to tell me in a few lines how I can be of service to you here in Vienna? –