12 THE ANCESTOR In August of the same year the Rev. William Harris, writing to his sister-in-law, mentions having 'met Mr. Handel a few days since in the street,' and then continues : ^ — [I] put him in mind who I was, upon which I am sure it would hare diverted you to have seen his antic motions. He seemed highly pleased, and was full of inquiry after you and the Councillor [Mr. Thomas Harris]. I told him I was very confident that you expected a visit from him this summer. He talked much of his precarious state of health, yet he looks well enough. I believe you will have him with you ere long. Subsequently Handel's health improved a little, for we are told by Lord Shaftesbury : ^ — Poor Handel looks something better. I hope he will entirely recover in due time, though he has been a good deal disordered in his head. February 7, 1746, saw the Rev. William Harris at Handel's house to hear a rehearsal of a ' new Occasional Oratorio,' of which he sends a most favourable notice to his sister-in-law and faithful correspondent ; and again four years later Lord Shaftesbury acquaints James Harris with the fact that he has seen Handel several times in London and ' never saw him so cool and well.' The famous musician had been purchasing some fine pictures, and from Lord Shaftesbury's letter it must be gathered that Handel's health and fortunes had taken a decided turn for the better. Among the pictures at Heron Court there is one of the great man painted by Philip Mercier, which Handel himself gave to his friend Mr. Thomas Harris about the year 1748, together with some manuscript-copies of his operas ; these MS. scores are now carefully preserved in the library there. The name of Thomas Harris, like those of many of Handel's admirers, does not appear at all in most of the works which have been published on the life and labours of the great com- poser, which may possibly help to make these allusions to him the more interesting ; but though this be so, Handel himself evidently reckoned Harris among those who formed the inner circle of his friends. If the reader likes to refer to Handel's will and its four codicils, which have more than once been printed and a copy of which the writer has ^ now * before him, he will see there the name of ' the Councillor.' Thomas Harris 1 Letters of the first Earl of Malmesbury (Bentley). ^ Ibid. ^ Musical Times y Dec. 14, 1893.
- Life of Handely by Victor Schoelcher (Trubner & Co.).
