Beethoven is very angry with Ries and reproaches him. He accuses Ries of disclosing private information about him. Ries has not only written about Beethoven in Paris but also passed on the composer's age. Beethoven was particularly sensitive about his age and by no means wanted to publicize his birthday. He also probably felt it presumptuous for Ries to speak about him at all, although Ries himself claimed he had merely said that Beethoven's music was hardly known in Paris.
