1811.] riiculars of ike ^ ^ 
** Haydn lives retired in the suburb 
called Guinjuendorf, where lie has a 
eonnxiodious small house, with a garden. 
Some aged domestics, who have the care 
of his tamily concerns, since the de.ath 
of his wife, received us on th.e ground- 
fi ior, where a grey parrot was chattering, 
being a favourite bird brought by Haydn 
fVotn Engiand. Neatness and tranquil- 
hty reigned throughout; and the (tc- 
portinent of the servants evinced the 
tender interest they took in the sutt'erir.gs 
of tlieir master. We were announced 
and admitted. The servant conducted 
us to a room in the upper story, wdiere 
we found Uaydu plainly, but neatly, 
dressed, in a brown great-coat. He re¬ 
ceived us with cordiality. 
‘‘ Haydn is now in his 74th year, he 
is of middle stature, and there is nothing 
peculiarly distinguishing in the traits of 
his figure; but he bears the impression 
of good nature, which, at first sight, pre¬ 
possess a stranger in his favour. The 
visit of young Mozart, whom he had not 
seen for a considerable time, gave him 
great pleasure. He conversed with the 
youth respecting his studies and his pro¬ 
gress in music, with the affection of an 
old friend; recalled, with pride, the re¬ 
collections of his illustrious father, whose 
society he had always cultivated. 
Seeing the old man fatigued, we bnoke 
©ff the conversation, after having staid 
about half an hour. On taking leave, he 
fiehaved in a very friendly manner, and 
honoured and gratified me in particular 
by giving me permission to repeat my 
visit. 
At my last visit he enjoyed a more 
?hau ordinary serenity. He found him¬ 
self somewhat better; his iiead was less 
affected, so that he returned to his custo¬ 
mary occupations. By chance he liad 
laid his hand on one of his first produc¬ 
tions, a short Mass, which he had com¬ 
posed for singing only, so early as 174*2, 
wdieii he was still a chorister iti the 
church of Sc. Stepiien; he was now ad¬ 
ding accompaniments, with the view of 
offering, by this his first, and perhaps his 
last, work, the homage of gratitude to his 
protector, Prince Estei^hazy. We may, 
likewise, reckon among the last labours 
of Haydn, a quartctto, the 84th which 
he has begun, and a number of ballads 
and songs in the Scottish style, composed 
4br his friends in England, where lie re¬ 
ceived a very liberal remuneration for 
V ^ 
such compositions. 
' Haydn possesses a moderate for- 
acquiied. chiefly by the two jour- 
Hies he made to England, on which Is® 
lives witli great attention to economy. 
In his youth he suffered great hardships^ 
but, notwithstandniiJi; the indiiieace bv 
w/jicb he was depressed, he raised him-.- 
self to eminence by following the impulse 
of iiis soaring genius.'' 
PARTICULARS not generally knozsn, of tk€ 
LIFE u/'HAiMDEL. 
Handel was born at Halle, in Upper 
Saxony, in 1684; he was the son of au 
eminent physician in that city, who had 
this celebrated cliaracler by a second 
wife. From his earliest age he disco¬ 
vered such an irresistible propensity to 
music, that his father, who intended him 
fur tlie civil law, was much displeased at 
it, and removed all musical instruments 
out of his way; yet so strong was the 
chdd’s ruling passion for the charms of 
music, that, before he was seven years 
old, he contrived to carry a small clavi- 
cfiurd to the top of the house, with which 
he constantly amused himself when hi« 
uarents had retired to rest. 
A 
It happened about this time that h« 
accompanied his fatlier to a brother by 
the first marriage, who was valet to the 
duke of Saxe-Weinfenfels. On this oc¬ 
casion young Handel could not refrain 
from touching every harpsichord he met 
with : and one day, stealing into the organ- 
loft of the chapel, he began to play upon 
it while the duke was in the chapel. Be¬ 
ing struck wnth an unusual sound, he en¬ 
quired of his valet who it was that wUsi 
playing, and, on being told it was his bro¬ 
iler, he commanded him to be brought 
before him, and bis father likewise to be 
sent for. The result of the duke's enqui¬ 
ries was a recommendation that such a 
native genius should on no account be 
lost, with a promise of conferring upon 
him every means of encouragement. 
On liis' return back to Halle, young; 
Handel was placed with Zaciiau, organist 
of the church, under whom he was taught 
the principles of music, and introduced 
to the works of eminent composers. He 
improved so rapidly, that, at the age of 
only nine years, he composed motets for 
the service of the cathedrals. At the 
age of thirteen lie perceived that Halle 
offered no further improvement, and 
therefore visited Vienna, where the opera 
was then in a flourishing state, under 
Buononcini and Attilio. He there at¬ 
tracted the notice of the emperor, wha 
expressed an inclination to send him to 
Italy, where he might be instructed un¬ 
der the best masters ; but bis parents de¬ 
clined 
