Leter from Beethoven to Karl (allegedly)

[AeolianHarp]

I found this online:

“You. Go face the mirror now and stare into your own eyes, speak to your own reflection. There is something special about you and you are aware of it…somewhere deep in the hollows of your negative thoughts you know you come so far for a purpose. But your uniqueness, your talent, your passion, they mean nothing if you cannot speak love into your own heart. Build a cask of self-worth about your soul and nothing can touch you, no one can harm you…not even yourself, the cruelest enemy of all.”

— Letter from Ludwig van Beethoven to his nephew and godson (1815)

I never saw that before and it doesn't feel authentic to me.

[Peter]

It doesn't sound the least bit like Beethoven, but there again neither did that Hymn! Where did you find it?

[Fidelio]

Seems a strange letter to write to a 9 year old boy.

I can only recall Beethoven writing to the Archduke Rudolph and Ferdinand Ries about the death of his brother Casper Carl in 1815.

He later wrote to Zmeskall in Jan 1816 where he discusses his nephew.

[AeolianHarp]

It doesn't sound the least bit like Beethoven, but there again neither did that Hymn! Where did you find it?

Somebody put it on tumblr.

[AeolianHarp]

Seems a strange letter to write to a 9 year old boy.

I can only recall Beethoven writing to the Archduke Rudolph and Ferdinand Ries about the death of his brother Casper Carl in 1815.

He later wrote to Zmeskall in Jan 1816 where he discusses his nephew.

Yes, it hasn't the feel of Beethoven at all!

[grace65]

This is the first time I've read this letter, never seen it before. If Beethoven did write this it sounds to me that while he was witting this letter he was reminding or referring to himself.
What I'm trying to say is that he is addressing himself rather than his nephew Karl.

[AeolianHarp]

This is the first time I've read this letter, never seen it before. If Beethoven did write this it sounds to me that while he was witting this letter he was reminding or referring to himself.
What I'm trying to say is that he is addressing himself rather than his nephew Karl.

Yes, it would be more the sort of thing he used to write to himself in his Tagebuch.