ositions of the instrument. Vain delusion number two! Bach
exacts more on _terra firma_ than many later writers have claimed in
their wildest aerial flights.

From Bach to Handel is an easy step in our discourse. They were born
within a year of each other, and were possessed of minds of similar
calibre, though differently exercised. It would not, perhaps, be
over-strained to call them respectively the Nelson and Wellington of
music. The compositions of Handel materially advanced the Violin. His
Overtures, Trios, Sonatas, and Concertos, were all received with the
utmost attention, and led on to works by later composers, which would
probably have never existed but for Handel's example.

We now reach the time when the Symphony was perfected by Haydn, who,
following the steps of Bach, brought this branch of the art to a
degree of perfection hitherto unknown. The influence of this composer
on the progress of the Violin cannot be over-estimated. The Quartettes
of Haydn are too well known to need more than mention here. The
Quartettes of Giardini and Pugnani were laid aside to give place to
these inspired compositions. The following amusing comparison, drawn
by a lady, between the Quartettes of Haydn and the speech of
articulate humanity appears in Bombet's "Letters on Haydn," and,
though pretty well known, will lose nothing by repetition:--

"In listening to the Quartettes of Haydn, this lady felt as if present
at a conversation of four agreeable persons. She thought that the
first Violin had the air of an eloquent man of genius, of middle age,
who supported a conversation, the subject of which he had suggested.
In the second Violin she recognised a friend of the first, who sought
by all possible means to display him to advantage, seldom thought of
himself, and kept up the conversation rather by assenting to what was
said by the others than by advancing any ideas of his own. The Alto
was a grave, learned, and sententious man. He supported the discourse
of the first Violin by laconic maxims, striking for their truth. The
Bass was a worthy old lady, rather inclined to chatter, who said
nothing of much consequence, and while she was talking the other
interlocutors had time to breathe. It was, however, evident that she
had a secret inclination for the Alto, which she preferred to the
other instruments."

It may be said that the foregoing extract is more funny than just.
Probably this is the case; however, I make use of it as