No doubt Rode was right in all that he said about me; my health is not of the best and without fault of my own my condition otherwise is perhaps more unfavorable than at any time in my life; but neither this nor anything else shall dissuade me from helping the equally innocent sufferers, the Convent ladies, so far as my modest talents will permit. To this end, two entirely new symphonies are at your services, an air for bass voice with chorus, several smaller single choruses--if you need the overture to Hungary’s Benefactor which you performed last year, it is at your service. The overture to “The Ruins of Athens,” although in a smaller style, is also at your service. Amongst the choruses is a chorus of Dervishes, an attractive thing [literally: “a good signboard”] for a mixed public. In my opinion you would do best to choose a day on which you could give the oratorio “Christus am Ölberg”; since then it has been played all over; this would then fill half of the concert; for the second half you would play a new symphony, the overture and different choruses, as also the bass air with chorus mentioned; thus the evening would not be without variety; but you would better talk this over with the musical councillors in your city and let them decide. What you say concerning remuneration for me from a third person I think I can guess who he is; if I were in my former condition I would flatly say: “Beethoven never takes pay when the benefitting of humanity is concerned,” but now, placed in a condition through my great benevolence (the cause of which can bring me no shame) and other circumstances which are to blame, which are caused by men without honesty or honor, I say frankly I would not decline such an offer from a rich third party; but there is no thought of a demand; even if there should prove to be nothing in the talk about a third person, be convinced that I am just as willing now to be of service to my friends, the reverend women, as I was last year without the least reward, and as I shall always be to suffering humanity as long as I breathe. And now farewell. Write to me soon and I will care for all that is necessary with the greatest zeal. My best wishes for the convent. Closely connected with this in subject, and no doubt in time, is the following letter to Zmeskall: