Handel returned to London, and composed a new oratorio, "Samson," for
the following Lenten season. This, together with the "Messiah," heard
for the first time in London, made the stock of twelve performances.
The fashionable world ignored him altogether; the newspapers kept a
contemptuous silence; comic singers were hired to parody his noblest
airs at the great houses; and impudent Horace Walpole had the audacity
to say that he "had hired all the goddesses from farces and singers of
roast-beef, from between the acts of both theatres, with a man with
one note in his voice, and a girl with never a one; and so they sang
and made brave hallelujahs."
The new field into which Handel had entered inspired his genius to its
greatest energy. His new works for the season of 1744 were the
"Dettingen Te Deum," "Semele," and "Joseph and his Brethren;" for the
next year (he had again rented the Haymarket Theatre), "Hercules,"
"Belshazzar," and a revival of "Deborah." All these works were
produced in a style of then uncommon completeness; and the great
expense he incurred, combined with the active hostility of the
fashionable world, forced him to close his doors and suspend payment.
From this time forward Handel gave concerts whenever he chose, and
depended on the people, who so supported him by their gradually
growing appreciation, that in two years he had paid off all his debts,
and in ten years had accumulated a fortune of £10,000. The works
produced during these latter years were "Judas Maccabæus," 1747;
"Alexander," 1748; "Joshua," 1748; "Susannah," 1749; "Solomon," 1749;
"Theodora," 1750; "Choice of Hercules," 1751; "Jephthah," 1752,
closing with this a stupendous series of dramatic oratorios. While at
work on the last, his eyes suffered an attack which finally resulted
in blindness.
Like Milton in the case of "Paradise Lost," Handel preferred one of
his least popular oratorios, "Theodora." It was a great favourite with
him, and he used to say that the chorus, "He saw the lovely youth,"
was finer than anything in the "Messiah." The public were not of this
opinion, and he was glad to give away tickets to any professors who
applied for them. When the "Messiah" was again produced, two of these
gentlemen who had neglected "Theodora" applied for admission. "Oh!
your sarvant, meine Herren!" exclaimed the indignant composer. "You
are tamnable dainty! You would not go to 'Theodora'--dere was room
enough to dance dere when dat was perform." When Handel heard that an
enthusiast had offered to make himself responsible for all the boxes
the next time the despised oratorio should be given--"He is a fool,"
said he; "the Jews will not come to it as to 'Judas Maccabæus,'
because it is a Christian story; and the ladies will not come, because
it is a virtuous one."
Handel's triumph was now about to culminate in a serene and
acknowledged pre-eminence. The people had recognised his greatness,
and the reaction at last conquered all classes. Publishers vied with
each other in producing his works, and their performance was greeted
with great audiences and enthusiastic applause. His last ten years
were a peaceful and beautiful ending of a stormy career.