[74] In 1819 he was followed by the police for having said aloud "That, after all, Christ was only a crucified Jew." He was then writing the _Mass in D_. That work alone is enough to show the freedom of his religious inspirations. (For the religious opinions of Beethoven, see Theodor von Frimmel; _Beethoven_, 3rd Edition, Verlag Harmonie; and _Beethovenia_, edited Georg Müller, Vol. II, Blöchinger). No less free in politics, Beethoven boldly attacked the vices of the government. He attacked amongst other things, the administration of justice, hindered by the slowness of its process, the stupid police regulations, the rude and lazy clerks in office, who killed all individual initiative and paralysed all action: the unfair privileges of a degenerate aristocracy, the high taxation, etc. His political sympathies seemed to be with England at that time. [75] The suicide of his nephew. [76] See an article by Dr. Klotz Forest on the last illness and death of Beethoven in the _Chronique Médicale_ of April 1st and 15th, 1906. There is also exact information in the conversation books where the doctor's questions are written down, and in the article of the doctor himself (Dr. Wawruch) in the _Vienna Times_, in 1842. [77] The recollections of the singer, Ludwig Cramolini, which have been published, relate a touching visit to Beethoven during his last illness. He found Beethoven possessed of a calm serenity, a touching kindness. (See the _Frankfurter Zeitung_, of September 29th, 1907). [78] The operations took place on December 20th, January 8th, February 2nd, and February 27th. [79] The young musician, Anselm Huttenbrenner. "God be praised," said Breuning. "Let us thank Him for having put an end to this long and pitiful martyrdom." All Beethoven's MSS. books and furniture were sold by auction for 1,575 florins. The catalogue contained 252 lots of manuscripts and musical books which did not exceed the sum of 982 florins 37 kreutzer. The _conversation-books_ and the _Tagebucher_ were sold for 1 florin 20 kreutzer. Amongst his books Beethoven possessed: Kant's _Natural Science and Astronomy_; Bode's _Knowledge of the Heavens_; Thomas à Kempis _The Imitation of Christ_. The Censor confiscated Seum's _Walks round Syracuse_, Kotzebue's _Over the Adel_, and Fessler's _Views on Religion and Theology_. [80] "I am always happy when I have to master some difficulty" (Letter to the Immortal Loved One). "I should like to live a thousand lives.... I am not suited for a quiet life." (To Wegeler, November 16th, 1801). [81] "Beethoven talked to me on the science of nature and helped me with this study as with music. It was not the laws of nature but its elementary powers that attracted him." (Schindler). [82] "Oh, how good life is; but mine is for ever embittered." (Letter to Wegeler, May 2nd, 1810). HIS WILL [Illustration] Alone, Alone, Alone.