New-York tribune., 1897-08-22
MUSICAL COMMENT.
THE LATE A. w. THAYER AS a BIBLICAL
CR1TIC-THE STORY OF HIS BOOK
ON THE HERREWS IN EGYPT
NINE NARCHESI

ON THE HEBREWS IN EGYPT
NINE. MARCHESI
An interesting and pathetic postscript to the
article on Mr. Alexander Wheeock Thayer. the
biographer Of Beethoven. which recently ap-
peared in this journal, comes to us from Peoria,
I'LL 1t Is in the shape Of letter from Mr.. f. 5
Wilcox. Librarian Of the Public Library OF
Peoria, and copy OF Mr. Thdyer's book THE
Hebrews in Egypt and Their Exodus" Con-
cerning the fate Of the manuscript Of this book,
which, as the readers Of The Tribune will re-
member, was finished nearly. if not quite twelve
years ago. many of Mr.. Thayers American
friends were in ignorance. 1t now appears that
he sent it to Mr.. Wilcox. friend OF over forty
years standing. who got it into print (but at
his own expense) only few weeks before Mr..
Thayer died. on this point Mr.. Wilcox writes:
For several years | tried to dissuade him
from publishing his "HebreWs.' ! went as far
/ dared and not wound his feelings. for |
felt not the faintest interest IN the book and |
did want to the "BeethOyen" finished. al
most the very beginning of which had taken
an interest in. The conclusion Of it all was
that, finding no one else willing or capable. l
had to get the book printed mere. preparing the
copy for the press, reading the proof etc, and
just at the time when | was removing our
library of sixty thousand volumes into our new
building The first complete copy went to him
early in March From his secretary or amanu-
enss ! know that he satisfied and gratifed
at last. but he too feeble to write me. For
me 1t was satisfaction to he able to perform
this last friendly Office before his death and /
became really much interested in his argument.
think it a valuable addition to the discl lion
OF Old Testament literature.
press dispatch from Trieste unfortunately
very meagre and void of detaiD. published since
the last article in The Tribune. states that
Volume " of the Life of Beethoven" was left
unfinished The fear expressed in this journal,
therefore. to have been realized and
there remains only the hope that the material
bearing on the last eleven years OF BeethOvens
life may have been left in such a condition that
Dr. Deiters, who worked sympathetically with
Mr.. Thayer in putting the published volumes
into German. may be able to complete the work
on the original lines. Concerning other efforts
to bring the dead mans magnum opus to an
end. Mr.. Wilcox writes:
Mr.. Thayer and | have been great friends
since 1S54-'J6. when l spent two winters with
him chat is. near him) in Berlin, and we have
kept up frequent correspondence ever since.
particularly frequent for the last eight or ten
years, in the matter Of finding publisher for
his Hebrews" which see he had mentioned to
you knew almost better than anybody his long,
heroic struggle with poverty and i'll health while
working on his Beethoven and. becoming
at last fearful that he would never complete the
work, l often urged him to drop his Hebrews
C1et his damned Jews co. as he wrote me SIR
r F. Burton once said to him. drop everything
and finish Beethoven" But you, see. know the
whole story well l. and | believe your
diagnosis is correct-that those last eleven years
of Beethoven's life crushed hin every time he
attacked them. | think at last he became niue
annoyed at my persistence. March 10 lo3, ne
wrote: LAS to Beethoven. | cannot say anything
until know something to say; at present DO
not" September -. 1895: After that letter.
March 26 was off. got out my Beethoven MS
and when was able worked on ii awhile, await
ing your reply, which did not come Needless
to recount the various reasons, therefore, that
my fancy suggested as your letter gives me the
true ones" CThis in reference to fndng
publisher for IS Hebrews. when l was tTying
to do for three years. "Another relapse or my
terribly painful malady from which am still
suffering" This September, 1899. letter was the
last word could get from him about Beethoven.
have no idea II was completed. or ever
can be now / fear. In his illness he had great
desire to read Paulding's "Dutchman'so oo flre-
side" which sent him. November .. lo9o' ne
writes: II return the 'Dutchman, Win t~hdhks. ~
nv curiosity is gratifed the book Is even worse
than expected This short letter has been
nv work for eight ten days. my head IS so
weak had other things to say. but the oraln
has now given out" My last not from hm was
September l. 1S96-a few lines: MY head IS 100
bad TO add more except the assurance or my az
fection and my thanks for all the trounie you
have taken Why he could work at MS lie
breyys" and not at his "Beethoven' was past my
eomprehenson. He said the doctor forbade all
mental work, but that he had to nave someth.hs
to do and took up this Now surihlse tiae .ile
season. the accumulated Beethoven inaterlai
arnve him crazy whenever he took hold Of it; the
~Hebrrws' was boys play
The. essay in Biblical criticism which the great
Beethoven biographer accomplished while walt
ing for his brain TO rest from STRAIN oil lortS
years pursuit Of single subject is now open 10
th. stndv of scholars in Mr. Wilcox's publica-
tiop which is limited to three hundred copies. IL
4. too much to expect that it will receive much
fCfa o in