ical comments of the _dilettante_.

The composer's reply as to why he did this or that was very simple. "I
did it," he said, "because I thought it would have a good effect."

Such a reply did not satisfy "my lord," who declared that his opinion
of the composition as ungrammatical and faulty would be unchanged
unless Haydn could give him some better reason for his innovations and
errors.

This nettled Haydn, who suggested that the pupil (?) should rewrite the
quartette after his own fashion. But, like many other would-be
critics, he declined to undertake the task, contenting himself with
impugning the correctness of Haydn's work. "How can yours, which is
contrary to the rules, be the best?" he repeatedly asked Haydn.

At last the composer's patience was exhausted. "I see, my lord," said
he, "it is you who are so good as to give lessons to me. I do not want
your lessons, for I feel that I do not merit the honour of having such
a master as yourself. Good morning."

Haydn then left the room, and sent his servant to show the man out.

One of Haydn's biographers says that the composer soon gauged the
musical taste of the English public, and rearranged most of his
compositions written earlier, before producing them in London. "Our
national manners in the concert-room would seem to have descended to us
from our grandfathers, for we find Haydn doubting as to which of two
evils he shall choose: whether to insist on his stipulated composition
being placed in the first or the second part of each concert's
programme. In the former case its effect would be marred by the
continual noisy entrance of late comers, while in the latter case a
considerable portion of the audience would probably be asleep before it
began. Haydn chose this, however, as the preferable alternative, and
the loud chord (Paukenschlag) of the andante in the 'Surprise' symphony
is said to have been the comical device he hit upon for rousing the
slumberers."

Haydn was very desirous that one of his compositions should be
performed at an Ancient Music Concert in London, but one of their rules
was to admit only work by composers who had been dead twenty years.
The management would make no exception, even for Haydn, and it was not
until forty-one years later that they produced a composition by
him,--the "Let there be Light," from the "Creation."

One of the pleasantest incidents of Haydn's visit to England occurred
in November, when he made a visit of