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
"Det-tingen 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 favorite 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
preeminence. The people had recognized 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.