ss stores of invention and originality, exciting in later years anew body of aspirants to enter the lists of inventive composition,--and with success. We name Feska, Hummel, Onslow, Reicha, Ries, the two Rombergs, Spohr, C. M. v. Weber; and of a yet later date, Kuhlau, Tomaschek, and Worzischek: these have been joined in the last few years by Carl Czerny and Moscheles. Thus do we live in an era fertile in genius, fertile in productions--an era, regenerated by the master spirit--Beethoven!"
But I will detain the reader no longer. If, in my preface, I have appeared to him tedious, I would beg him to remember the words of Pliny the younger--"I have not time to write a short letter, therefore I send you a long one."
I. MOSCHELES.
3, Chester Place, Regent's Park, January, 1841.
CONTENTS
OF THE
FIRST VOLUME.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION by Schindler 1
LIFE OF BEETHOVEN.
FIRST PERIOD.
[FROM HIS BIRTH TO THE YEAR 1800.]
Beethoven's
