Forgive me, dear Countess, for having kept your music for such a long while. I only wanted to have a copy of it, but the copyist kept me waiting a long time for this work – I hope I shall soon see you again and for longer than I did yesterday. I press your dear children to my heart in thought and I beg you to say something on my behalf to the others who would like to have news of me – I am heartily delighted to hear of your steady recovery, and also of your increasingly happy circumstances (which you, dear C[ountess], so greatly deserve); though indeed I trust that you will never count me among those who hope to gain something from your change of fortune. The most heartfelt and warmest wishes go to you from your friend.
Beethoven