occupied, and I have also been extremely unwell for the last five months. I
now only reply to the principal points. Although I met Steiner by chance a
few days ago, and asked him jestingly what he had brought me from Leipzig,
he did not make _the smallest_ allusion to _your commission or to
yourself_. He urged me, however, in the very strongest manner, to _pledge
myself to give him the exclusive right of publishing all my works, both
present and future_,--and indeed to _sign a contract to that
effect_,--which I declined. This _trait_ sufficiently proves to you why I
often give the preference to other publishers both home and foreign. I love
uprightness and integrity, and am of opinion that no one should drive a
hard bargain with artists, for, alas! however brilliant the exterior of
Fame may appear, an artist does not enjoy the privilege of being the daily
guest of Jupiter on Olympus; unhappily commonplace humanity only too often
unpleasantly drags him down from these pure ethereal heights.

The _greatest_ work I have hitherto written is a _Grand Mass_ with
Choruses, and four _obbligati_ voice parts, and full orchestra. Several
persons have applied to me for this work, and I have been offered 100 Louis
d'or, hard cash, for it; but I demand at least 1000 florins C.M. [20
florins to the mark], for which sum I will also furnish a pianoforte
arrangement. Variations on a waltz [Diabelli's] for the piano (they are
numerous), 30 ducats in gold,--N.B. Vienna ducats. With regard to songs, I
have several rather important descriptive ones: as, for example, a comic
Aria, with full orchestra, on Goethe's text, "Mit Mädeln sich vertragen;"
and another Aria, in the same style, 16 ducats each (furnishing also a
pianoforte arrangement if required); also several descriptive songs, with
pianoforte accompaniment, 12 ducats each; among these is a little Italian
Cantata, with Recitative; there is also a Song with recitative among the
German ones. A Song with pianoforte accompaniment, 8 ducats. An Elegy, four
voices, with the accompaniment of _two violins, viola, and violoncello_, 24