ted upon this solitary manuscript
by accident, and recognising its beauty showed it to the Church
authorities of Leipzig. They in turn were so delighted with it that
they immediately offered the composer the post of organist at the
Neukirche, at the same time sending him a sum of money for the
manuscript, and requesting him to compose regularly for the Church. At
this juncture Telemann abandoned the struggle against his love for the
art, and to his mother, who was supplying him with the means of
living, he wrote, saying that he could no longer hold out against what
he felt to be his true sphere of work, and mentioning that he had
already begun to receive remuneration for the compositions. At the
same time he returned the money which she had sent towards his
education, and begged her not to think too hardly of him. The fact
that his talent for music could produce money seems to have melted the
mother's heart, for she instantly wrote to her son, and not only
returned the money he had sent, but gave him her blessing into the
bargain.

From this point Handel and Telemann became fast friends, and worked
together at their musical studies, and it is interesting to record
that the latter afterwards became one of the most celebrated German
composers of his day. So numerous were his compositions, in fact, that
it is told that he could not reckon them, and perhaps no other
composer ever possessed such a facility in composition, especially in
Church music. When reminded of his extraordinary talent, however, he
used to say laughingly that a good composer ought to be able to set a
placard to music.

The death of Handel's father, which took place at this period, left
his mother with very small means, and Handel at once determined that
he must work for his own living, so as not to deprive his mother of
any portion of her limited income, to which, indeed, he hoped to make
some addition ere long. But for the present, it was necessary that his
education should be completed in accordance with his father's
injunction, and so Handel continued to attend the University classes
in classics. From this time he acted as deputy organist at the
Cathedral and Castle of Halle, and a few years later, when the post
fell vacant, he was duly appointed organist, with a salary of L7 10s.
a year and free lodging. The duties were many, and included attendance
on Sundays, festivals, and extra occasions, the care of the organ, and
obedience to the priests an