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There is indeed some reason to doubt if the lessons were
continued. At any rate, by February 1792, the affair had ripened
so far as to allow the lady to address the composer as "my dear,"
and disclose her tender solicitude for his health. On the 7th of
the following month she writes that she was "extremely sorry" to
part with him so suddenly the previous night. "Our conversation
was particularly interesting, and I had a thousand affectionate
things to say to you. My heart was and is full of tenderness for
you, but no language can express half the love and affection I
feel for you. You are dearer to me every day of my life."
This was pretty warm, considering that Haydn was still in the
bonds of wedlock. We cannot tell how far he reciprocated the
feeling, his letters, if he wrote any, not having been preserved;
but it may be safely inferred that a lady who was to be "happy to
see you both in the morning and the evening" did not do all the
love-making. On the 4th of April the composer gets a present of
soap, and is the "ever dear Haydn" of the "invariable and truly
affectionate" Mistress Schroeter. He had been working too hard
about this particular date (he notes that he was "bled in London"
on the 17th of March), and on the 12th the "loveress," to use
Marjorie Fleming's term, is "truly anxious" about her "dear
love," for whom her regard is "stronger every day." An extract
from the letter of April 19 may be quoted as it stands:
I was extremely sorry to hear this morning that you were
indisposed. I am told you were five hours at your studies
yesterday. Indeed, my dear love, I am afraid it will hurt
you. Why should you, who have already produced so many
wonderful and charming compositions, still fatigue yourself
with such close application? I almost tremble for your
health. Let me prevail on you, my much-loved Haydn, not
to keep to your studies so long at one time. My dear love,
if you could know how very precious your welfare is to me,
I flatter myself you would endeavour to preserve it for my
sake as well as your own.
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