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After this a little hitch occurred in the Thomson correspondence.
Haydn, being asked by Whyte, the publisher of a rival collection,
to do something for his work, at once agreed. Thomson, not
unnaturally, perhaps, felt hurt. He made his complaint through
Mr Straton's successor at the Embassy, Mr Charles Stuart; and
in August 1803 Stuart writes to say that he had broached the
matter to Haydn "in as delicate terms as possible for fear he
might take offence." Haydn frankly admitted that he had done the
accompaniments for Whyte, but said the airs were different from
those he had done for Thomson. After "a long conversation, he
informed me," says Mr Stuart, "that being now seventy-four years
of age and extremely infirm, he found himself wholly incapable of
further application to study; that he must therefore beg leave to
decline all offers, whether on your part or from any other person
whatsoever. He even declared that notwithstanding the repeated
requests of Prince Esterhazy, he felt himself utterly incapable
of finishing several pieces of music he had undertaken, and being
possessed of a competency he desired nothing so much as to pass
the short time he has yet to live in repose and quiet." From this
letter we learn that Thomson had unluckily sent a present of a
handkerchief for Frau Haydn, who had now been dead for three
years!
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