eliness of Piccadilly at that period may be surmised
from the fact that it was not safe to traverse the thoroughfare after
nightfall unless protected by an escort strong enough to repell the
attacks of highwaymen who haunted the neighbourhood.

The time passed so quickly amidst the pleasures of society and the
unceasing devotion to composition that Handel himself probably failed
to realise that he was gratuitously extending his leave of absence
beyond all 'reasonable' bounds. His fame had made great progress all
this while, and when the wars in Flanders at length came to an end
with the signing of the peace of Utrecht, he was called upon to
compose the _Te Deum_ and _Jubilate_, which were performed at the
Thanksgiving Service held at St. Paul's, and attended by the Queen in
state. To signalise this great event, as well as to mark the royal
favour in which the composer was held, Queen Anne awarded Handel a
life pension of L200. It is small wonder, then, that he should have
been slow to sever, even for a time, his connection with the world of
London. Amongst his numerous acquaintance of this time was a certain
Dr. Greene, a musician of some ability, but more perseverance, whose
attentions to the composer were so persistent as to partake of the
nature of persecution. Handel was never the man to cultivate an
acquaintance for which he had no liking, and it was a part of his
character to make no effort to conceal his dislikes either for persons
or things. When, therefore, Dr. Greene sent him a manuscript anthem of
his own to look over, Handel put it on one side and forgot it. Some
time afterwards Dr. Greene went to take coffee with the great man, and
having waited vainly for some reference to his manuscript until his
patience was exhausted, he burst out with: 'Well, Mr. Handel, and what
do you think of my anthem?' 'Your antum?' cried Handel in his broken
English. 'Ah, yes, I do recollect, I did tink dat it vanted air,'
'_Air!_' exclaimed the astonished and indignant composer. 'Yes, air,'
responded Handel, 'and so I did hang it out of de vindow.'

[Illustration: '_A grand procession of decorated barges from
Whitehall to Limehouse._']

The death of the Queen must have awakened Handel with a shock to a
sense of his neglect of duty, for the Elector of Hanover thereupon
came to England as her successor. That King George would be likely to
receive Handel with favour was out of the question, notwithstanding
the monarch's