Beethoven thanks his publisher for the letter and the extract from the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (also published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig) which was also enclosed. A few weeks prior to this an article had appeared, reporting Beethoven's invitation to become musical director at the Westphalian court. Beethoven corrects some of the details and asks for the facts to be put right "as this is important for my honour" in one of the next editions (this happened in no. 31 on 3.5.1809 in the AmZ 11).
He promises to send the Oratorio op. 85, the Mass op. 86 and the Opera op. 72 with the next post and asks for a total of 250 florins C.M. In order to make the work attractive for Härtel he mentions that Simrock has already offered 100 florins for the mass alone and stresses that he would also be able to find a publisher for these prices in Vienna.
