Partly my distractions in Silesia, partly the events which have taken place in your country, were to blame that I did not answer your letter before now--should the present condition of affairs prevent your entering into an engagement with me, you are not bound to anything--only I beg you to answer at once by post, so that in case you do not care to make a contract with me--I need not let my works lie idle. With regard to a contract for three years I am disposed to enter into it with you at once if you will agree that I sell several works to England or Scotland. It is understood of course ~that the works which you have received from me or which I sold you belong only to you, namely are your sole property and have nothing to do with those of France, England or Scotland--but I must have the privilege to dispose of other works in those countries--But in Germany, you and no other publisher would be the owner of my works~. I would willingly renounce the sale of my works in those countries, but I have received from Scotland such weighty offers and such an honorarium as I could not ask of you, besides a connection with foreign countries is always important for the fame of an artist and in the event of his travelling--As, for instance, in the case of Scotland, I have the right to sell the same works in Germany and France, I would gladly let you have them for Germany and France--so that only London and Edinburgh (in Scotland) would be lost to your sales.... For the present I offer you three quartets and a pianoforte concerto--I cannot give you the promised symphony yet--because a gentleman of quality has taken it from me, but I have the privilege of publishing it in half a year. I ask of you 600 florins for the three quartets and 300 fl. for the concerto, ~both amounts~ in Convention Florins according to the 20 florin scale. The negotiations were without result and the compositions mentioned were published by the Industrie-Comptoir. The symphony referred to was doubtless the fourth, in B-flat, and the “gentleman of quality” in all likelihood Count von Oppersdorff, to whom it was dedicated.