forty operas, which are only remembered now by an occasional aria.
During these several years of hard work he had looked forward to a
journey to Italy, for study. He was now a composer of some note and
decided it was high time to carry out his cherished desire.

He remained some time in Florence and composed the opera "Rodrigo,"
which was performed with great success. While in Venice he brought
out another opera, "Agrippina," which had even greater success. Rome
delighted him especially and he returned for a second time in 1709.
Here he composed his first oratorio, the "Resurrection," which was
produced there. Handel returned to Germany the following year. The
Elector of Hanover was kind to him, and offered him the post of
Capellmeister, with a salary of about fifteen hundred dollars. He
had long desired to visit England, and the Elector gave him leave of
absence. First, however, he went to Halle to see his mother and his
old teacher. We can imagine the joy of the meeting, and how proud and
happy both were at the success of the young musician. After a little
time spent with his dear ones, he set out for England.

Handel came to London, preceded by the fame of his Italian success.
Italian opera was the vogue just then in the English capital, but
it was so badly produced that a man of Handel's genius was needed to
properly set it before the people. He had not been long on English
soil when he produced his opera "Rinaldo," at the Queen's Theater;
it had taken him just two weeks to compose the opera. It had great
success and ran night after night. There are many beautiful airs in
"Rinaldo," some of which we hear to-day with the deepest pleasure.
"Lascia ch'jo pianga" and "Cara si's sposa" are two of them. The
Londoners had welcomed Handel with great cordiality and with his
new opera he was firmly established in their regard. With the young