For many years the undersigned cherished the sweet wish that Your Majesty would graciously make known the receipt of his work to him; but he has not yet been able to boast of this happiness, and had to content himself with a brief notice from Mr. Ries, his former worthy pupil, who reported that Y. M. had been pleased graciously to deliver the work to the then Musical Director, Mr. Salomon and Mr. Smart for public performance in Drury Lane Theatre. This appears also from the English journals, which added, as did Mr. Ries, that the work had been received with extraordinary favor not only in London but elsewhere. Inasmuch as it was extremely humiliating to the undersigned to learn all this from indirect sources, Y. M. will surely pardon his sensitiveness and graciously permit him to observe that he spared neither time nor cost to lay this work before your exalted person in the most proper manner in order to provide a pleasure for Y. M. From this the undersigned concludes, that it may have been improperly submitted to Y. M. and inasmuch as the most obedient petition which is now submitted, enables him again to approach Y. M., he takes the privilege of handing to Y. M. accompanying printed copy of the Battle of Vittoria in score, which has been set aside for this purpose ever since 1815 and which has been retained so long because of the uncertainty felt by the undersigned concerning the matter. Convinced of the lofty wisdom and graciousness which Y. M. has hitherto shown toward art and artists to their appreciation and good fortune, the undersigned flatters himself that Your Majesty will graciously condescend to take all this in consideration and grant his most humble petition. [_Convaincu de la haute sagesse dont Votre Majesté a toujours su apprecier l’art ainsi que de la haute faveur qu’elle accordé a l’artiste le soussigné se flatte que Votre Majesté prendra l’un et l’autre en consideration et vaudra en grace condescendre a sa tres-humble demande._] _a Vienne le 24 fevrier._