820 there was an outcry, followed by
police search. Prince Esterhazy would stand no nonsense. The skull must
be returned, no questions would be asked, and Peter was offered a reward
if he found it. The notion then occurred to Rosenbaum of palming off
another skull for Haydn's. This he actually succeeded in doing, the head
of some unfortunate individual being handed to the police. Peter claimed
the reward, which was very justly refused him. When Rosenbaum was dying
he confessed to the deception, and gave the skull back to Peter. Peter
formed the resolution of bequeathing it, by will, to the Conservatorium
at Vienna; but he altered his mind before he died, and by codicil left
the skull to Dr Haller, from whose keeping it ultimately found its
way to the anatomical museum at Vienna. We believe it is still in the
museum. Its proper place is, of course, in Haydn's grave, and a stigma
will rest on Vienna until it is placed there.

[The great masters have been peculiarly unfortunate in the matter of
their "remains." When Beethoven's grave was opened in 1863, Professor
Wagner was actually allowed to cut off the ears and aural cavities of
the corpse in order to investigate the cause of the dead man's deafness.
The alleged skeleton of Sebastian Bach was taken to an anatomical museum
a few years ago, "cleaned up," and clothed with a semblance of flesh to
show how Bach looked in life! Donizetti's skull was stolen before the
funeral, and was afterwards sold to a pork butcher, who used it as a
money-bowl. Gluck was re-buried in 1890 beside Mozart, Beethoven
and Schubert, after having lain in the little suburban churchyard of
Matzleinsdorf since 1787.]

A copy of Haydn's will has been printed as one of the appendices to
the present volume, with notes and all necessary information about the
interesting document. Two years before his death he had arranged that
his books, music, manuscripts and medals should become the property of
the Esterhazy family. Among the relics were twenty-four canons which
had hung, framed and glazed, in his bedroom. "I am not rich enough," he
said, "to buy good pictures, so I have provided myself with hangings of
a kind that few possess." These little compositions were the subject
of an oft-quoted anecdote. His wife, in one of her peevish moods, was
complaining that if he should die suddenly, there was not sufficient
money in the house to bury him. "In case such a calamity should occur,"
he replied, "take these