1674 and 1679, which were great favorites in his time. The
celebrated painter Salvator Rosa not only wrote the words for many
cantatas by his musical friends, but it is known that he composed both
words and music to eight. The texts of these works have preserved for
posterity pictures more graphic than any he could paint of his
misanthropical character; for when he is not railing against his mistress
he is launching satires against Nature and mankind in general. In one of
these he complains that the earth is barren and the sun is dark. If he
goes out to see a friend, it always rains. If he goes on shipboard, it
always storms. If he buys provisions at the market, the bones outweigh
the flesh. If he goes to court--

"The attendants at my dress make sport;
Point at my garb, threadbare and shabby,
And shun me, like a leper scabby."

His only wealth is hope, which points to nothing better than "workhouse
or a rope." In the heat of summer he has to trudge in winter clothes. He
cannot even run away from misfortune. In a word, nothing pleases the poor
painter, as is evident from the gloomy moral which "adorns the tale":--

"Then learn from me, ye students all,
Whose wants are great and hopes are small,
That better 'tis at once to die
Than linger thus in penury;
For 'mongst the ills with which we're curst,
To live a beggar is the worst."

In 1703 Giambatista Bassani, of Bologna, published twelve cantatas
devoted to the tender passion, and all of them set to a violin
accompaniment,--a practice first introduced by Scarlatti, of Naples, who
was one of the most prolific writers of his day. The cantata was
Scarlatti's favorite form of composition, and hundreds of them came from
his busy pen, which were noted for their beauty and originality. The
accompaniments were written for the violoncello as well as for the
violin; those for the first-named instrument were so difficult and yet so
excellent that those who could perform them were often thought to have
supernatural assistance.[3] Contemporary with Scarlatti was Francesco
Gasparini, a Roman composer and harpsichord player of such eminence that
Scarlatti sent his son Domenico, who afterwards became famous by his
musical achievements, to study with him. Gasparini wrote twelve
cantatas,--not so scholarly but quite as popular as those by Scarlatti.
As a return for the compliment which Scarlatti had paid him,
Gasparini sent him a cantata, which was the signal for a