To: Karl August Varnhagen von Ense, Prague
Teplitz, July 14, 1812

Anderson v1 pg377-378 - letter #374


       Here, dear Varnhagen, is the parcel for Wilms – I have sent him a message asking him to send me here by the mail coach the three parts of Goethe’s Wilhelm Meisters Lehrhjahre, for the missing fourth part has been found – Should you yourself come here soon, then, of course, that would not be necessary. So I am leaving this this to your wise judgment – There is not much to tell you about T[eplitz], for there are few people here and no distinguished ones among the small number.  Hence I am living – alone – alone! alone! alone! I was sorry, dear V[arnhagen], not to be able to spend my last evening at Prague with you, and I myself found this all wrong.  But a circumstance which I could not foresee prevented me from doing so [Anderson footnote: “Beeethoven arrived at Prague on July 2nd and probably left for Teplitz two days later.”] – Therefore you must forgive me for my omission – I will tell you more about this when we meet – My very cordial greetings to General Bentheim – How I wish that he and above all you yourself were here – Even though you may think I am an odd fellow, why, I in turn may think you are something else which is not at all odd – Provided that at any rate a few good facets touch one another, that is sufficient to prepare the ground for a friendship –

       All my best wishes!  The best!  The best!  Demolish what is evil and keep yourself above it –

                                                                                     Your friend
                                                                                                       Beethoven

       NB.  Write to me and please send me your full address –