performances followed, together with 'Alexander's Feast' (20 March 1739), 'II Trionfo del Tempo,' and 'several concertos on the organ and other instruments.' On 4 April 'Israel in Egypt' was given for the first time. The oratorio was originally preceded by the entire funeral anthem which had been composed for Queen Caroline's funeral in 1737, now sung as a ' Lamentation of the Israelites for the death of Joseph.' In spite of the 'new organ concerto,' introduced in order to give variety to the entertainment, the work found so little favour that at the second performance (on the llth) four songs, three of them in Italian, were interpolated. Though not widely popular, even in its shortened form, 'Israel in Egypt' was highly appreciated by the few. It was repeated a third time on 17 April in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales (London Daily Post, 13, 14, 17 April). A highly enthusiastic account of this performance, signed 'R. W.,' appeared in the same paper on the following day; it was reprinted when 'Israel' was repeated at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 1 April 1740.
Serious charges have been brought against Handel in connection with this oratorio. There are beyond doubt incorporated in the score virtually the whole of three entire works, viz. : a Magnificat attributed to a composer named Erba, otherwise almost unknown ; a serenata assigned to Stradella, and a canzona by J. C. Kerl. It is generally acknowledged that the composer touched nothing which he did not adorn, and the charge does not reflect on his powers so much as on his honesty. Those who defend Handel from what seems little short of fraud have been driven to such untenable hypotheses as that the compositions from which Handel borrowed were his own works wrongfully ascribed to other composers (see for the defence Rocksteo, pp. 221-6, 274-7, and Schoelcher, pp. 24, 423, &c. ; for the other view, Cheysander, i. 168, &c. The interesting articles in the Monthly Musical Record for November and December 1871 may be consulted). It is curious that a man of so peculiarly straightforward a nature as Handel should have adopted the work of others, particularly when his own wealth of musical resource is remembered. The argument that exclusive rights in musical ideas were not in Handel's day as widely recognised as they are now deserves some weight. Less can be said for the plea that, in the press of work in which Handel was engrossed, he may very well have drawn upon a memory which is known to have been unusually retentive and accurate, imagining that he was recalling compositions of his own. Karl's canzona appears as 'Egypt was glad' in Handel's oratorio, note for note, with only a change of key (see Hawkins, Hist. chap, cxxiv.) Nor are the cases mentioned the only evidences brought to support the accusation. Extensive use is made in the 'Dettingen Te Deum' and in 'Saul' of a Te Deum by Francesco Antonio Urio, dating from about 1700, and themes from Steffani, Clari, Buononcini, and many other composers are to be found in others of Handel's works.
In the autumn of 1741 Handel went to Dublin at the invitation of the Duke of Devonshire, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland. A series of subscription concerts was arranged at the new music hall in Fishamble Street, and there a number of Handel's most popular cantatas, such as 'Acis,' 'L' Allegro,' &c., were given successfully, always, or almost always, with the additional attraction of instrumental concertos. The operetta 'Imeneo' was transformed into a cantata, 'Hymen,' and was performed twice (March 24 and 31). The series closed with 'Esther' on 7 April. Handel had taken with him to Ireland the score of a new oratorio, his masterpiece, the 'Messiah,' which he had completed in the incredibly short space of twenty-three days (22 Aug. to 14 Sept., Chrysander in Allgem. D. Biogr. xii. 789). Nine months had passed since the completion of 'Deidamia,' his last Italian opera, and during that time the process of composition was doubtless going on, perhaps in part unconsciously. Mainwaring states that an unsuccessful performance of this work took place at Covent Garden before the date of the Irish journey, but no evidence can be found to support his assertion. It is certain that the 'Messiah' was first heard at the rehearsal in Dublin on 8 April. It was performed publicly on the 13th, for the benefit of various Dublin charities, among others for the relief of the prisoners in the several gaols. The hall in Fishamble Street was made to contain seven hundred persons instead of six hundred, the ladies having been induced to come without their hoops, and the gentlemen without their swords. Signora Avolio, Mrs. Gibber, and Messrs. Church and Ralph Roseingrave were the soloists. The impression produced by the work was so profound that it was given again on 3 June, after a successful performance of 'Saul.' Apparently the only person who was not satisfied with the composition was Jennens, the librettist, who says in a letter now in the possession of Lord Howe (H. Townsend, An Account of the Visit of Handel to Dublin, p. 118) : 'He [Handel] has made a fine entertainment of it, tho' not near so good
