Dorothea von Schlegel (1764-1839)
Autograph letter signed (‘Dorothea verwittwete von Schlegel gebohren Mendelsohn’) to [King Ludwig I Bavaria] (‘Euerer Majestaet!’), Vienna, 14 March 1830
In German. One page, 253 x 193mm, with an apparent copy of Ludwig’s response dated 18 June 1830. Provenance: Sotheby’s, 5 December 1996, lot 242.

Dorothea von Schlegel sends King Ludwig I of Bavaria the final lectures of her deceased husband Friedrich von Schlegel (1772-1829). ‘May your majesty grace these last words and thoughts of Friedrich Schlegel. He felt nothing but gratitude, admiration and the most joyful hopes for Germany’s glorious monarch'.

Schlegel’s last lectures were given in Dresden in 1828 and were on the philosophy of language. King Ludwig’s response appears to be a retained copy as the date of sending and information about the recipient are written in the margin.