Such incidents brought me to the verge of despair, but little more and I would have put an end to my life - only art it was that withheld me, and it … - Ludwig van Beethoven

it seemed unthinkable for me to leave the world forever before I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce.…

I used to be too free with my judgements and made enemies in this way; now I judge no one, and for no other reason than that I want to harm no one, and in the end I say to myself: if there's something decent in anyone, it will be upheld in spite of every kind of malice and envy; if there's nothing solid in him, nothing that's durable, then he'll collapse in any case, though others support him in every possible way.

I met [Meyerbeer] at the performance of my "Battle." Most of the composers then in Vienna were kind enough to undertake something or other in my orchestra, and the young man played the big drum. Ha! ha! ha! (a peal of laughter). I had reason not to be very well satisfied with him. He was always behindhand, and I had to give it him roundly. (New peal of laughter.) He must have felt mortified by my observations; but there is no reliance to be placed in him; he has not the courage to raise his arm at the proper moment.

I will take fate by the throat; it will never bend me completely to its will.