vileges and honor by Henry IV * * * he went, with nine workmen and
as many frames, to Rouen, in Normandy, where he wrought with great
applause." Thus does history repeat itself.

HENRY WILLIS.

The following sketch of the greatest organ-builder of the Victorian Era
has been condensed from an interview with him as set forth in the
London _Musical Times_ for May, 1898.

Henry Willis was born in London on April 27, 1821. His father was a
builder, a member of the choir of Old Surrey Chapel, and played the
drums in the Cecilian Amateur Orchestral Society. The subject of this
sketch began to play the organ at very early age; he was entirely
self-taught and never had a lesson in his life.

In 1835, when he was fourteen years of age, he was articled for seven
years to John Gray (afterwards Gray & Davidson), the organ-builder.
During his apprenticeship he invented the special manual and pedal
couplers which he used in all his instruments for over sixty years. He
had to tune the organ in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, where he made
the acquaintance of Sir George Elvey, who took a great fancy to the boy
tuner.

While still "serving his time" and before he was out of his teens,
Henry Willis was appointed organist of Christ Church, Hoxton. In the
early fifties he was organist of Hampstead Parish Church, where he had
built a new organ, and for nearly thirty years he was organist at
Islington, Chapel-of-Ease, which post he only resigned after he had
passed the Psalmist's "three score years and ten." In spite of the
engrossing claims of his business, Mr. Willis discharged his duties as
organist with commendable faithfulness; he would often travel 150 miles
on a Saturday in order to be present at the Sunday services. In his
younger days he also played the double-bass and played at the
provincial Musical Festivals of 1871 and 1874.

After his apprenticeship expired he lived in Cheltenham for three
years, where he assisted an organ-builder named Evans, who afterwards
became known as a manufacturer of free reed instruments. They produced
a model of a two-manual free reed instrument with two octaves and a
half of pedals which was exhibited at Novello's, in London. Here
Willis met the celebrated organist, Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

[Illustration: Henry Willis]

About the year 1847 Henry Willis started in business for himself as an
organ-builder, and his first great success was in rebuilding the organ
in Gloucester Cathed