Most Highly Born Lieutenant General!
I have received your communication addressed to my brother [Caspar Carl] and I am satisfied with its contents. But I must beg you to defray in addition the costs of the pianoforte arrangements [Opus 92 and 93]]. First of all, as I have to pay for everything in the world and as everything is dearer for me than for other people, I should find it difficult to defray the costs. And in any case I do not think that you can complain about the fee of 250 ducats –– But I too should not like to take on too much. Therefore you must see to these arrangements yourself. But they must all be checked by me and, whenever necessary, corrected. I trust that you will be satisfied with all this –– Furthermore, I fancy you could make my brother a present of the collected pianoforte works a Clementi, Mozart and Haydn. He needs them for his little son. Do this, my most charming Steiner, and don’t be made of stone, however stony your name may be ––
All good wishes, my excellent Lieutenant General.
I am ever your most devoted General-in-Chief
Ludwig van Beethoven