Yet beneath these eccentricities what wealth of tenderness, sympathy,
and kindliness existed! His affection for his graceless nephew Karl is
a touching picture. With the rest of his family he had never been on
very cordial terms. His feeling of contempt for snobbery and pretence
is very happily illustrated in his relations with his brother Johann.
The latter had acquired property, and he sent Ludwig his card,
inscribed "Johann von Beethoven, land-owner." The caustic reply was a
card, on which was written, "Ludwig von Beethoven, brain-owner." But
on Karl all the warmest feelings of a nature which had been starving
to love and be loved poured themselves out. He gave the scapegrace
every luxury and indulgence, and, self-absorbed as he was in an ideal
sphere, felt the deepest interest in all the most trivial things that
concerned him. Much to the uncle's sorrow, Karl cared nothing for
music; but, worst of all, he was an idle, selfish, heartless fellow,
who sneered at his benefactor, and valued him only for what he could
get from him. At last Beethoven became fully aware of the lying
ingratitude of his nephew, and he exclaims--"I know now you have no
pleasure in coming to see me, which is only natural, for my atmosphere
is too pure for you. God has never yet forsaken me, and no doubt some
one will be found to close my eyes." Yet the generous old man forgave
him, for he says in the codicil of his will, "I appoint my nephew Karl
my sole heir."
Frequently, glimpses of the true vein showed themselves in such little
episodes as that which occurred when Moscheles, accompanied by his
brother, visited the great musician for the first time.
"Arrived at the door of the house," writes Moscheles, "I had some
misgivings, knowing Beethoven's strong aversion to strangers. I
therefore told my brother to wait below. After greeting Beethoven, I
said, 'Will you permit me to introduce my brother to you?'
"'Where is he?' he suddenly replied.
"'Below.'
"'What, downstairs?' and Beethoven immediately rushed off, seized hold
of my brother, saying, 'Am I such a savage that you are afraid to come
near me?'
"After this he showed great kindness to us."
While referring to the relations of Moscheles and Beethoven, the
following anecdote related by Mdme. Moscheles will be found
suggestive. The pianist had been arranging some numbers of "Fidelio,"
which he took to the composer. He, _à la_ Haydn, had inscribed the
score with the words, "By God's help." Beethoven did not fail to
perceive this, and he wrote underneath this phylactory the
characteristic advice--"O man, help thyself."
The genial and sympathetic nature of Beethoven is illustrated in this
quaint incident:--
It was in the summer of 1811 that Ludwig Löwe, the actor, first met
Beethoven in the dining-room of the Blue Star at Töplitz. Löwe was
paying his addresses to the landlord's daughter; and conversation
being impossible at the hour he dined there, the charming creature one
day whispered to him, "Come at a later hour, when the customers are
gone and only Beethoven is here. He cannot hear, and will therefore
not be in the way." This answered for a time; but the stern parents,
observing the acquaintanceship, ordered the actor to leave the house
and not to return. "How great was our despair!" relates Löwe. "We both
desired to correspond, but through whom? Would the solitary man at the
opposite table assist us? Despite his serious reserve and seeming
churlishness, I believe he is not unfriendly. I have often caught a
kind smile across his bold, defiant face." Löwe determined to try.
Knowing Beethoven's custom, he contrived to meet the master when he
was walking in the gardens. Beethoven instantly recognised him, and
asked the reason why he no longer dined at the Blue Star. A full
confession was made, and then Löwe timidly asked if he would take
charge of a letter to give to the girl.
"Why not?" pleasantly observed the rough-looking musician. "You mean
what is right." So pocketing the note, he was making his way onward
when Löwe again interfered.
"I beg your pardon, Herr von Beethoven, that is not all."
"So, so," said the master.
"You must also bring back the answer," Löwe went on to say.
"Meet me here at this time to-morrow," said Beethoven.
Löwe did so, and there found Beethoven awaiting him, with the coveted
reply from his lady-love. In this manner Beethoven carried the letters
backward and forward for some five or six weeks--in short, as long as
he remained in the town.
His friendship with Ferdinand Ries commenced in a way which testified
how grateful he was for kindness. When his mother lay ill at Bonn, he
hurried home from Vienna just in time to witness her death. After the
funeral he suffered greatly from poverty, and was relieved by Ries,
the violinist. Years afterwards young Ries waited on Beethoven with a
letter of introduction from his father. The composer received him with
cordial warmth, and said, "Tell your father I have not forgotten the
death of my mother." Ever afterwards he was a helpful and devoted
friend to young Ries, and was of inestimable value in forwarding his
musical career.
Beethoven in his poverty never forgot to be generous. At a concert
given in aid of wounded soldiers, where he conducted, he indignantly
refused payment with the words, "Say Beethoven never accepts anything
where humanity is concerned." To an Ursuline convent he gave an
entirely new symphony to be performed at their benefit concert.
Friend or enemy never applied to him for help that he did not freely
give, even to the pinching of his own comfort.