a year.

Next, to celebrate the peace of Utrecht, the famous "Te Deum" and
"Jubilate" were produced, with a golden garter as a slight token of
recognition.

But Good Queen Anne passed away, as even good queens do, and the
fuzzy-witted George of Hanover came over to be King of England, and
transmit his fuzzy-wuzzy wit to all the Georges. About his first act was
to cut off Handel's pension, "Because," he said, "Handel ran away from
me at Hanover."

A time of obscurity followed for Handel, but after some months, when the
Royal Barge went up the Thames, a band of one hundred pieces boomed
alongside, playing a deafening racket, with horse-pistol accompaniments.
The King made inquiries and found it was "Water-Music," composed by Herr
Handel, and dedicated in loving homage to King George the First.

When the Royal Barge came back down the river, Herr Handel was aboard,
and accompanied by a great popping of corks was proclaimed Court
Musician, and his back-pension ordered paid.

The low ebb of art is seen in that, in the various operas given about
this time by Handel, great stress is made in the bills about costumes,
scenery and gorgeous stage-fittings. When accessories become more than
the play--illustrations more than the text--millinery more than the
mind--it is unfailing proof that the age is frivolous. Art, like
commerce and everything else, obeys the law of periodicity. Handel saw
the tendency of the times, and advertised, "The fountain to be seen in
'Amadigi' is a genuine one, the pump real and the dog alive." Three
hours before the doors opened, the throng stood in line, waiting.

* * * * *

But London is making head. Other good men and true are coming to town.
Handel does not know much about them, or care, perhaps. His wonderful
energy is now manifesting itself in the work of managing theaters and
concerts, giving lessons and composing songs, arias, operas, and
attending receptions where "the ladies refrain from hoops for fear of
the crush," to use the language of Samuel Pepys.

In shirt-sleeves, in a cheap seat in the pit, at one of Handel's
performances, is a big lout of a fellow, with scars of scrofula on his
neck and cheek. Next to him is a little man, and these two, so chummy
and confidential, suggest the long and short of it. They are countrymen,
recently arrived, empty of pocket, but full of hope. They have a selfish
eye on the stage, for the big 'un has written a play an