el had several of the parts for some
days in his house, and he caused the entire work to be harmonized by some
obscure musical journeyman, and is now hawking it about the world. Herr
Maelzel promised me ear-trumpets. I harmonized the "Battle Symphony" for
his panharmonica from a wish to keep him to his word. The ear-trumpets came
at last, but were not of the service to me that I expected. For this slight
trouble Herr Maelzel, after my having arranged the "Battle Symphony" for a
full orchestra, and composed a battle-piece in addition, declared that I
ought to have made over these works to him as _his own exclusive property_.
Even allowing that I am in some degree obliged to him for the ear-trumpets,
this is entirely balanced by his having made at least 500 gulden in Munich
by my mutilated or stolen battle-piece. He has therefore paid himself in
full. He had actually the audacity to say here that he was in possession of
the battle-piece; in fact he showed it, written out, to various persons. I
did not believe this; and, in fact, with good reason, as the whole is not
by me, but compiled by some one else. Indeed the credit he assumes for the
work should alone be sufficient compensation.

The secretary at the War Office made no allusion whatever to me, and yet
every work performed at both concerts was of my composition.

Herr Maelzel thinks fit to say that he has delayed his visit to London on
account of the battle-piece, which is a mere subterfuge. He stayed to
finish his patchwork, as the first attempt did not succeed.

BEETHOVEN.

128.

TO HERR J. KAUKA, DOCTOR OF LAWS IN PRAGUE, IN THE KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA.

The Summer of 1814.

A thousand thanks, my esteemed Kauka. At last I meet with a _legal
representative_ and a _man_, who can both write and think without using
unmeaning formulas. You can scarcely imagine how I long for the end of this
affair, as it not only interferes with my domestic expenditure, but is
injurious to me in various ways. You know yourself that a sensitive spirit
ought not to be fettered by miserable anxieties, and much that might render
my life happy is thus abstracted from it. Even my inclination and the duty
I assigned myself, to serve suffering humanity by means of my art, I have
been obliged to limit, and must continue to do so.[1]

I write nothing about our monarchs and monarchies, for the newspapers give
you every information on these subjects.[2] The intellectual realm is the
most prec