ngenital tendency
of this kind would have been more likely to develop itself in Karl, the
weakling, than in the sturdy Ludwig.

The master's known impulsiveness and carelessness in matters connected
with the preservation of his health, lead to the conclusion that he
himself contributed much to his deafness. He was fond of pure air
outside, but sometimes had for a sleeping room an alcove wholly without
ventilation, so dark that he had to dress in another room. We hear much
of his practice of taking brisk walks on the ramparts or in the suburbs,
in the intervals of his work. There is at least one instance on
record,--there were probably many such cases,--of his coming in after a
walk, overheated, perspiring, and seating himself before an open window
in a draught. Another hygienic measure which he abused was his custom of
frequently bathing his head in cold water while at work, probably to
counteract the excessive circulation of the blood in the head brought
about by his brain-work. A chilling of the body, particularly in the
neck and the back of the head when overheated is a frequent cause of
inflammation of the middle ear. Von Frimmel calls attention to the
dust-storms which are a feature of Vienna. They were probably worse in
Beethoven's time than now, as but little attention was paid to hygienic
measures in those days. This no doubt aggravated the trouble.

CHAPTER XIX

LIFE'S PURPORT

Das Grenzenlose braust um mich. Weit hinaus glaenzt mir Raum und
Zeit. Wohlan! Wohlauf! altes Herz.
--FRIEDERICH NIETZSCHE.

Beethoven's life in its devotion to the attainment of a single end, the
perfection of his art, affords an object lesson, which cannot fail to
encourage and stimulate every one engaged in creative work of any kind.
His earnestness and industry is the key-note to his achievement. He
worked harder than any composer we have any record of, with the possible
exception of Wagner. If we consider how the compositions improved in his
hands, while being worked over, as is shown by the sketch-books, a
simple process of reasoning will convince the reader that any man's
work, in any line, can be improved by adopting the same methods.
Beethoven's own words in this connection are, "the boundary does not yet
exist, of which it can be said to talent cooperating with industry,
'Thus far shalt thou go and no farther.'" The more he worked over his
compositions the