self, except upon the condition of being
allowed to accomplish it. The condition was accepted and he set out at
the end of the year. Passing through Dusseldorf he could scarcely tear
himself away; for the Elector Palatine wished to keep him at any price.
Thence he went to Halle to embrace his mother, who was now blind; and
his good old master, Sackau. Afterwards he visited Holland and arrived
in London at the close of 1710.

Handel's first work in England was the Opera of Rinaldo, and this at
once established his reputation.

The Cavatina in the first act, "Cairo Sposa," was to be found, in 1711,
upon all the harpsichords of Great Britain, as a model of pathetic
grace. The march was adopted by the regiment of Life Guards, who played
it every day for forty years. Like the regiments themselves, marches
have their days and their strokes of fortune; and this one, after a long
and honourable existence, was subsequently pressed into the service of
the highway robbers. Twenty years later Pepusch made out of it the
Robber's chorus in the Beggar's Opera, "Let us take road." The
brilliant morceau in the second act, "Il tri Cerbero," was also set to
English words--"Let the waiter bring clean glasses," and was a long time
the most popular song at all merry-makings. But what shall be said of
"Lascia che io pianza?" Stradella's divine air of "I miei sospiri," has
nothing more moving, or more profoundly tender.

It has been asserted that in music the _beau ideal_ changes every thirty
years, but that is an ill-natured criticism. Certain forms of
accompaniment may grow out of fashion like the cut of a coat. But a fine
melody remains eternally beautiful and always agreeable to listen to.
The 100th Psalm of the middle ages is as magnificent to-day as it was
when nearly four centuries ago it came from the brain of its composer,
Franc.[D] "Laschia che io pianza" and "I miei sospiri" will be admirable
and admired to the very end of the world.

Handel's publisher was said to have gained L1,500 from the publication
of Rinaldo, which drew from Handel this complaint, "My Dear Sir, as it
is only right that we should be upon an equal footing, _you_ shall
_compose_ the next opera, and I will sell it." Publishers then, as now,
not only lived by the brains of others, but had the lion's share of the
profits.

Handel's success as an harpsichordist was equal to that which he enjoyed
as a composer. He very often played solos in the theatre, and at t