17, 1812, to his little admirer, Emile M., in H.)

192. "From childhood I learned to love virtue, and everything beautiful
and good."

(About 1808, to Frau Marie Bigot.)

193. "It is one of my foremost principles never to occupy any other
relations than those of friendship with the wife of another man. I
should never want to fill my heart with distrust towards those who may
chance some day to share my fate with me, and thus destroy the loveliest
and purest life for myself."

(About 1808, to Frau Marie Bigot, after she had declined his invitation
to drive with him.)

194. "In my solitude here I miss my roommate, at least at evening and
noon, when the human animal is obliged to assimilate that which is
necessary to the production of the intellectual, and which I prefer to
do in company with another."

(Teplitz, September 6, 1811, to Tiedge.)

195. "It was not intentional and premeditated malice which led me to act
toward you as I did; it was my unpardonable carelessness."

(To Wegeler.)

196. "I am not bad; hot blood is my wickedness, my crime is
youthfulness. I am not bad, really not bad; even though wild surges
often accuse my heart, it still is good. To do good wherever we can, to
love liberty above all things, and never to deny truth though it be at
the throne itself.--Think occasionally of the friend who honors you."

(Written in the autograph album of a Herr Bocke.)

197. "It is a singular sensation to see and hear one's self praised, and
then to be conscious of one's own imperfections as I am. I always regard
such occasions as admonitions to get nearer the unattainable goal set
for us by art and nature, hard as it may be."

(To Mdlle. de Girardi, who had sung his praises in a poem.)

198. "It is my sincere desire that whatever shall be said of me
hereafter shall adhere strictly to the truth in every respect regardless
of who may be hurt thereby, me not excepted."

(Reported by Schindler, who also relates that when Beethoven handed him
documents to be used in the biography a week before his death, he said
to him and Breuning: "But in all things severely the truth; for that I
hold you to a strict accountability.")

199. "Now you can help me to find a wife. If you find a beautiful woman
in F. who, mayhap, endows my music with a sigh,--but she must be no
Elise Burger--make a provisional engagement. But she must be beautiful,
for I can lo