The note appended to the first draft of his will is also
significant. Nor in this connection should we forget the words with
which he inscribed the scores of his more important compositions. For
the conclusion he generally adopted Handel's "Soli Deo Gloria" or "Laus
Deo," with the occasional addition of "et B.V. Mae. et Oms. Sis. (Beatae
Virgini Mariae et Omnibus Sanctis)." Even his opera scores were so
inscribed, one indeed having the emphatic close: "Laus omnipotenti Deo
et Beatissimae Virgini Mariae." The superscription was uniformly "In
nomine Domini." It is recorded somewhere that when, in composing, he
felt his inspiration flagging, or was baulked by some difficulty, he
rose from the instrument and began to run over his rosary. In short, not
to labour the point, he had himself followed the advice which, as an old
man, he gave to the choirboys of Vienna: "Be good and industrious and
serve God continually."

His Industry

The world has seen many an instance of genius without industry, as of
industry without genius. In Haydn the two were happily wedded. He was
always an early riser, and long after his student days were over he
worked steadily from sixteen to eighteen hours a day. He lived strictly
by a self-imposed routine, and was so little addicted to what Scott
called "bed-gown and slipper tricks," that he never sat down to work or
received a visitor until he was fully dressed. He had none of Wagner's
luxurious tastes or Balzac's affectations in regard to a special attire
for work, but when engaged on his more important compositions he always
wore the ring given him by the King of Prussia. In Haydn's case there
are no incredible tales of dashing off scores in the twinkling of
an eye. That he produced so much must be attributed to his habit of
devoting all his leisure to composition. He was not a rapid worker if we
compare him with Handel and Mozart. He never put down anything till he
was "quite sure it was the right thing"--a habit of mind indicated by
his neat and uniform handwriting ["His notes had such little heads and
slender tails that he used, very properly, to call them his, flies'
legs."--Bombet, p. 97.]--and he assures us: "I never was a quick writer,
and always composed with care and deliberation. That alone," he added,
"is the way to compose works that will last, and a real connoisseur can
see at a glance whether a score has been written in undue haste or not."
He is quoted as saying that "genius is al