are still far from being fully
comprehended. Every one understands Mozart; no one thoroughly
comprehends Beethoven."

Although Beethoven lived in Vienna during nearly the whole life of
Schubert, and for some years very near to his house, the two composers
were almost strangers. Schindler, Beethoven's biographer, does indeed
state that they met in 1822, but the story has been much doubted.
Schindler says that the younger composer, whose "Variations on a French
Air" had just been published by Diabelli and dedicated to Beethoven,
went with the publisher to present the offering in person. He received
them kindly, but Schubert was too confused to answer the master's
questions, and on Beethoven making some slight criticism upon the
piece, fled from the room in dismay. Huttenbrenner says, on the other
hand, that Beethoven was not at home when Schubert called on him and
that they never met. He, however, states that he, Schubert, and the
artist Teltscher, went to Beethoven's house during his last illness and
stood for a long time around his bed. The dying man was told the names
of his visitors and made signs to them with his hand which they could
not comprehend. Schubert was deeply touched, for his veneration for
Beethoven amounted almost to worship.

Schindler, during Beethoven's last illness, brought him a collection of
Schubert's songs, and he expressed the greatest admiration for their
beauty, coupled with regrets that he had not known more of him. How
great must have been Schubert's delight to learn that Beethoven on this
occasion said of him, "Truly, Schubert possesses a spark of the divine
fire;" and again, "Some day he will make a noise in the world."
Beethoven is said to have frequently played the "Variations" which
Schubert dedicated to him.

The extraordinary fertility and facility of Schubert in composing are
well known. Elson tells the story of the creation of "Hark, Hark, the
Lark!" from "Cymbeline." "It was a summer morning in 1826 that
Schubert was returning from a long walk in the suburbs of Vienna, with
a party of friends; they had been out to Potzleindorf, and were walking
through Waehring, when, as they passed the restaurant "Zum Biersack,"
Schubert looked in and saw his friend Tieze sitting at one of the
tables; he at once suggested that the party enter and join him at
breakfast, which was accordingly done. As they sat together at the
table, Schubert took up a book which Tieze had brought with