To: Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig
Teplitz, July 17, 1812

       This is just to tell you that I have been here since July 5th, and doing what? ––  Well, there is not very much to say about that as yet –– On the whole there are not such interesting people here as there were last year and altogether they are few in number –– A crowd is less embarrassing then a few people –– So far I have not got the rooms I should like to occupy, but I hope to have more comfortable ones soon –– You Will have received the proofs of the Mass [Opus 86] –– At the beginning of the Gloria I have altered C to  time signature, thus altering the tempo; and that is the way the time was indicated at first. A bad performance at which the temple was too fast induced me to do this. Well, as I had not seen the Mass for a long time, this point struck me at once and I saw that unfortunately a thing like that has to be left to chance –– In the Sanctus a remark could be inserted somewhere stating that in the enharmonic variation the flats can be omitted and instead of them only sharks retained, that is to say:

                   
                                                    
        I could never hear this passage song by are choirs as purely as it should be unless the organist quietly struck the chord of the seventh. It may be that you have better choirs at Leipsig –– It would be a good thing at any rate to indicate somewhere that in this passage sharps could be used instead of flats, as is indicated here (they would have to be added, of course, any engraved copies exactly as they are here) –– Goethe is here –– All good wishes –– And let me soon hear something about what you are doing.

                                                       Your most devoted
                                                                                       Ludwig van Beethoven

       NB. I.  As the 50 thalers have not yet been paid in full, and, even if they had, no great stretch of imagination would be required to regard them as not yet paid in full, we request you to draw on either the real or the imagined 50 thalers and to send on my behalf to a charming young lady in Berlin the following works: firstly, the score of Christus am Ölberg [Opus 85], secondly and thirdly, the two volumes of Goethe’s songs, three [Opus 75 and 83].  The address is ‘To Amalie Sebald, Bauhof No. 1, in Berlin.  She is a pupil of Zelter’s and we are very fond of her – Add also any other separate songs of mine which have been published and which you have engraved.

       NB. II. You might send me here a few copies of the latest trios.  Once occasionally needs works of that kind for musicians whom one can’t expect to buy them – Knowing how amiable you are I trust that you will most punctually carry out my delightfully generous order for A.S.