I feel the deepest sympathy for you in your justifiable grief over the death of your wife. It seems to me that this separation, which almost every married person has to face, might well deter anyone from entering the state of matrimony – Your sonata [Opus 81a] is on its way to Leipzig together with the fantasia [Opus 80]. Print the title as I have written it, both in French and German, certainly not in French only – and the other headings in the same way – Arrange for better proof-reading; and, by the way, people are complaining about awkwardness in turning over the leaves – In Vienna at any rate the nuisance of pirated editions is to be done away with, for I am going to agitate for the preservation of a privilege that my works shall not be pirated in Austria. On the other hand, so long as the exchange rules everything with its rate, you will have to agree to a lower price for Austria --- I don’t know what can be done, indeed, for other countries or cities – The proofs you recently sent me will be returned to you as soon as possible, namely, as soon as I have received them – As for the trio, why, that can wait – What you say about an opera would certainly be of interest; and the directors would pay handsomely for it. But I must admit that at the moment conditions are difficult. However, if you let me know what the poet wants, I will make some suggestions. I have written to Paris for texts, successful melodramas, comedies and so forth (for there is no poet in Vienna with whom I would venture to collaborate in composing an original opera which I could then have adapted – Oh, poverty of mind – poverty of purse –
Your
Beethoven