loved ever to
worship the Lord with the best of everything, made proposals to the
illustrious Handel, and persuaded him to take the place of Pepusch. The
Musical Biography tells us that "Dr. Pepusch fully acquiesced in the
opinion of Handel's superior merit, and retired from his eminent and
honourable situation without any expression whatever either of chagrin
or disappointment."

The wise labour for their own sakes, for their own satisfaction, and in
the midst of general indifference; but artists only work when they are
excited by public attention. The most fruitful have need of external
animation to become productive, and require immediate applause. Handel,
having an orchestra and singers at his disposal, with the guests of a
wealthy nobleman for audience, set himself passionately to work. It was
at Cannons that he wrote the two Te Deums and the twelve famous Anthems,
called the Chandos Anthems.

Of the splendid residence wherein the Duke of Chandos gave these
magnificent "feasts of reason and flow of soul," nothing is now left but
the chapel, which, as I said before, was constructed apart from the
mansion. It is now the parish church of Edgeware. The most interesting
relic is an organ, of moderate size, which stands behind the altar.
Upon this may be found a little brass plate, bearing this inscription:--

--------------------------------------
| |
| HANDEL |
| WAS ORGANIST OF THIS CHURCH |
| FROM THE YEAR 1718 TO 1721, |
| AND COMPOSED |
| THE ORATORIO OF ESTHER |
| ON THIS ORGAN |
--------------------------------------

The mansion was sold in 1750, three years after the Duke's death, for
eleven thousand pounds. (It had cost, you recollect, two hundred and
thirty thousand pounds.) Not a vestige of it is left; and, as the site
is now in a state of cultivation, Pope's prediction is realized:

"Another age shall see the golden ear
Imbrown the slope and nod on the parterre.
Deep harvests bury all his pride has planned,
And laughing Ceres reassume the land."

_Essay_--"_Of the Use of Riches_."

The magnificent Duke himself is now almost forgotten. A marble statue,
which was erected to his memory in the crypt