Beethoven is brought more directly before our knowledge by these
his own words than by the diffuse books which have been written
about him.  For this reason the compiler has added only the
necessary explanatory notes, and (on the advice of professional
friends) the remarks introductory to the various subdivisions of
the book.  He dispensed with a biographical introduction; there
are plenty of succinct biographies, which set forth the
circumstances of the master's life easily to be had.  Those who
wish to penetrate farther into the subject would do well to
read the great work by Thayer, the foundation of all Beethoven
biography(in the new revision now making by Deiters), or the
critical biography by Marx, as revised by Behncke.  In sifting
the material it was found that it fell naturally into thirteen
subdivisions.  In arranging the succession of utterances care
was had to group related subjects.  By this means unnecessary
interruptions in the train of thought were avoided and
interesting comparisons made possible.  To this end it was
important that time, place and circumstances of every word
should be conscientiously set down.