This is one of the last letters in a whole series of business dealings between the publisher Peters in Leipzig and Beethoven. In May 1822 Peters had asked Beethoven for compositions.
In response Beethoven had happily offered him several works which were supposedly finished. In August 1822 Peters had paid him 360 florins as an advance for three Lieder, four marches and four bagatelles for piano. For a long time he did not receive any works in return. Following several reminders and requests Beethoven had sent him the Four Marches WoO 18-20 and 24 as well as the orchestral songs op. 121b and 122 and the Bagatelles op. 119, 1-6. Peters sent most of these back, demanding replacements
Annoyed by the lengthy negotiations and continual correspondence Beethoven now offers Peters a quartet (op. 130) as compensation, saying that this should finally make Peters happy (as far as Beethoven was concerned a quartet was worth much more than the sum paid). If Peters does not want the quartet, Beethoven offers to repay the money. Peters did not in fact want the quartet in the end, and so Beethoven repaid him the money in December 1825.
