Portrait of Beethoven (age 33) with a lyre-guitar by Joseph Willibrord Mähler (c. 1804)
TO ZMESKALL.
Feb. 8, 1812.
Most extraordinary and first and foremost man of the pendulum in the world, and without a lever too!!!
I am much indebted to you for having imparted to me some share of your motive power. I wish to express my gratitude in person, and therefore invite you this morning to come to the “Swan,”--a tavern, the name of which itself shows that it is a fitting place when such a subject is in question,
Yours ever,
BEETHOVEN.
