My Dear R[upprecht]!
A very long time ago I jotted down two melodies for your ‘Merkenstein’. – But both those compositions were buried under a pile of other papers. The day before yesterday I found the one which I am enclosing [WoO144]. The other one is for two voices and in my opinion is a better work [Opus 100]. But I have not yet been able to find it – Since, however, in spite of my great untidiness nothing in my house is ever lost as a rule, I will let you have the other setting too, as soon as I find it – You would afford me a great pleasure if you were to send me sometime six of your poems which have not yet been published, so that I might set them to music. How or in what way you dispose of them afterwards would be entirely your concern – As I am not very well, I am postponing my visit to you, but only for the time time being –
With sincere regards, your most devoted
Ludwig van Beethoven