what zeal he had
planned how he was to assist Michael in his work, when he had smoothed
the young one's entry, helped him over his shyness, and shown him all
the delightful scenes and circumstances which his new life would
comprise. It had infused new vigour into his resolutions, and fired
him with fresh ardour for his own work, this coming of his brother to
share with him the pleasures which he had possessed for so long alone.

Joseph's unselfish and generous feelings may have helped to blind his
vision to the little cloud which, almost from the moment when
Michael's pure young treble notes first soared aloft into the
cathedral's vast recesses, had begun to shut out some of the sunshine
that had gladdened his own existence. Certain it is that he had no
inkling of the sorrow which his brother's advent was destined to bring
upon him. Michael's progress was remarkably rapid, and it was soon
apparent that Joseph's prospects were as surely declining. The voice
which hitherto had enabled him to hold the chief place in the choir
showed signs of breaking, and one after another of the solo parts
which formerly he alone had been selected to sing were assigned to the
new chorister. Joseph's failing powers were unmistakably betrayed when
he sang before the Court, and, though intended only as a joke, the
Empress's remark to Reutter that Haydn's singing had come to resemble
the crowing of a cock, sufficed to open the Capellmeister's eyes to
the fact that Joseph must be put back. Consequently, at the
celebration of St. Leopold in the presence of the Emperor and Empress,
the singing of the 'Salve Regina' fell to the lot of Michael, whose
rendering so entranced his royal hearers that they presented the young
chorister with a sum of twenty ducats.

To no one could it have been plainer than to poor Joseph himself that
the sun of his glory at St. Stephen's had set never to rise again. His
place was now virtually taken by the brother whose coming he had
welcomed, and the royal favours which heretofore had been allotted to
him were transferred to Michael for good. Mortified as he must have
felt at the slight thus accorded to him, Haydn cherished no feelings
of resentment towards the brother by whom he had been supplanted. He
had the good sense to attribute his misfortune to his failing voice
alone and to fall back upon the belief in his own powers to make his
way as a musician, which formed his one unfailing resource and comfort
during t