ved by his sweetheart, who begs
his pardon from the king. Much of the music is almost childish in its
_naivete_, but there is real pathos in the famous air 'Adieu, Louise,'
and some of the lighter scenes in the opera are touched off very
happily.

The musical education of Gretry (1741-1831) was perhaps more elaborate
than that of Monsigny, but it fell very far short of profundity. His
music excels in grace and humour, and he rarely treated serious subjects
with success. Such works as 'Le Tableau Parlant,' 'Les Deux Avares,' and
'L'Amant Jaloux' are models of lightness and brilliancy, whatever may be
thought of their musicianship. 'Richard Coeur de Lion' is the one
instance of Gretry having successfully attempted a loftier theme, and
it remains his masterpiece. The scene is laid at the castle of
Duerrenstein in Austria, where Richard lies imprisoned, and deals with
the efforts of his faithful minstrel Blondel to rescue him. In this work
Gretry adapted his style to his subject with wonderful versatility. Much
of the music is noble and dignified in style, and Blondel's air in
particular, 'O Richard, O mon roi,' has a masculine vigour which is
rarely found in the composer's work. But as a rule Gretry is happiest in
his delicate little pastorals and fantastic comedies, and, for all their
slightness, his works bear the test of revival better than those of many
of his more learned contemporaries. Philidor (1726-1797) was almost more
famous as a chess-player than as a composer. He had the advantage of a
sound musical education under Campra, one of the predecessors of Rameau,
and his music has far more solid qualities than that of Gretry or
Monsigny. His treatment of the orchestra, too, was more scientific than
that of his contemporaries, but he had little gift of melody, and he was
deficient in dramatic instinct. He often visited England, and ended by
dying in London. One of the best of his works, 'Tom Jones,' was written
upon an English subject. Philidor was popular in his day, but his works
have rarely been heard by the present generation.

With Gretry the first period of opera comique may be said to close;
indeed, the taste of French audiences had begun to change some years
before the close of the eighteenth century. The mighty wave of the
Revolution swept away the idle gallantries of the sham pastoral, while
Ossian newly discovered and Shakespeare newly translated opened the eyes
of cultivated Frenchmen to the possibilitie