Two trifles which kept company with the Quartets in this year were a Waltz in D and an Écossaise in E-flat for pianoforte, which were published in a collection of light music by C. F. Müller. There are several allusions to the oratorio commissioned by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in the Conversation Books of 1825, in one of which Grillparzer is mentioned as a likely author for another book; but so far as is known no work was done on “The Victory of the Cross,” though Bernard shortened the book. Before the end of the year the principal theme of the Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131, is noted, accompanied by the words written by Beethoven: “Only the praise of one who has enjoyed praise can give pleasure”;--it is, no doubt, a relic of some of the composer’s classic readings.[146] FOOTNOTES: [121] The correspondence nowhere shows a modification of the stipulation that the Symphony was to be the exclusive property of the Society for 18 months. But Kirchhoffer, Ries’s representative, knew of the preparations for the Vienna performance. [122] Dr. Deiters thinks Ries’s hesitation was due to fear of difficulties in the performance--a fear which was realized; it is more likely, however, as may be deduced from the context of the letter, that Ries felt that his London friends were not being treated fairly in the matter, Beethoven having entered upon an obligation with them to let them have exclusive possession of the Symphony for eighteen months after the time of delivery. [123] Had he wholly forgotten the letter in which he offered Schlesinger the Mass in 1822 and said that it would grieve him very much if he could not give him “just this particular work”? [124] The canons were those on Hoffmann and Schwenke. [125] The remark is meaningless and was made only for the sake of a play on words--_Rache_ and _Rachen_. Beethoven professed friendship to Haslinger to the end, though he lampooned him in private. [126] The mark is _Allegro con moto_ in the Complete Edition; _Allo. commodo_ in others. Joachim’s edition gives the _commodo_ in parenthesis. [127] There are pitiful proofs in the Conversation Books that simple sums in addition were more than he could master and that on his deathbed he studied the mysteries of multiplication. [128] Vol. II. p. 107 _et seq._ [129] Beethoven’s table habits were thus described by Holz to Jahn: “He was a stout eater of substantial food; he drank a great deal of wine at table, but could stand a great deal, and in merry company he sometimes became tipsy (_bekneipte er sich_). In the evening he drank beer or wine, generally the wine of Vöslau or red Hungarian. When he had drunk he never composed. After the meal he took a walk.” [130] See the preface to his biography. [131] The date is Schindler’s, but a palpable error; it may have been 1834. [132] It was among Thayer’s papers. [133] Notes of Jahn’s interviews with Holz were among Thayer’s papers.