of course, a strong inducement to Handel to visit Dublin.

Communications had passed between Handel and the members or governors of three benevolent institutions in Dublin—namely, the Charitable Musical Society for the Relief of Imprisoned Debtors, Mercer's Hospital, and the Charitable Infirmary. The result of these communications was to open to Handel, when he was contemplating the composition of the Messiah, an opportunity of bringing it out in Dublin, with every certainty of encouragement and success; and he composed the oratorio with the intention, or engagement, to give the first performance of it for the benefit of these charities.

The evidence for such negotiations having passed between Handel and parties in Dublin, previously to his leaving London, consists in the following facts:1. Handel composed the Messiah only a few weeks before he set out on his journey to Ireland. According to memoranda in Handel's own handwriting, in the original score of the oratorio, which is preserved in the Royal Library at Buckingham Palace, the writing or composition of the oratorio, was commenced on the 22nd of August, 1741, and the first part was finished on the 28th of the same month. The second part (which terminates with the Hallelujah chorus) was finished on the 6th of September. At the end of the third part, (which concludes the work) is the memorandum :"Fine dell' Oratorio. G. F. Handel (the astronomical sign for Saturday), September 12th, 1741."* 2. In

*

Dr. Burney, who notices the uncommon minuteness and exactitude of Handel in dating all his manuscripts, observes that it was his custom to mark the days of the week with astronomical signs.Hist. of Music, vol. iv. p. 435. After the memorandum dated “ "Sep

a notice appended to the account which appears in Faulkner's Journal, of the rehearsal of the Messiah on the 8th of April, 1742, in the hall of the Charitable Musical Society, previously to its performance for the benefit of the three charitable institutions, we find the expression (applied to the three charities collectively)— “This noble and grand charity, for which this Oratorio was composed."*

Handel arrived in Dublin on the 18th of November, 1741. Allowing about a fortnight, including his delay at Chester, for his journey from London to Dublin, he must have quitted London on or about the 4th of November.

It appears, then, that the manuscript of the Messiah was finished about seven weeks before Handel set out for Ireland. And when he had been resident for nearly five months in Dublin, we find him, on the occasion of his giving the first performance of this oratorio for the benefit of the three charities, authorising or permitting the public announcement that it had been composed for "this noble and grand charity."

It is evident from these facts, that Handel, besides those inquiries which it was necessary for him to make before taking so important and responsible a step as

tember 12th," is another memorandum, in German, signifying that the work was filled up or completed on the 14th inst.

* Even if no special evidence existed, it could never be supposed that Handel came to Ireland without instituting some previous inquiries, and communicating previously with some person in Dublin. That among these communications there were negotiations for composing the Messiah, and giving the first performance of it for certain charities in Dublin, is a fact proved by this notice in Faulkner's Journal; the merit of the discovery of which, after much research, belongs (as I have stated in the preface) to Mr. George Finlayson.

coming a long journey (for such it was in those days), bringing performers with him to a city where he was a stranger, had also been in communication with the friends or governors of the three charities, on the subject of a performance of his music for the benefit of those charities. These noblemen and gentlemen had, doubtless, expressed their hope that the proposed visit of the great musician to their city might be made available towards increasing the funds of their several benevolent institutions; and Handel, it is evident, had, with his wonted liberality, undertaken, or expressed his willingness to compose for them, and to place the first performance of his work at their service. It is also evident that only a few weeks before he came to Ireland, he wrote the Messiah, in pursuance of such undertaking.*

It will be seen, however, from an entry in the minute-book of Mercer's Hospital (dated January 23, 1742), that any such offer or undertaking on Handel's part was only conditional, and that he reserved to himself a right of withholding a performance of this oratorio till certain arrangements should be made.

It is a remarkable circumstance that the tradition of more than a century, handed down from writer to writer, has mentioned only the relief of the prisoners as the object for which the performance was given, but has been silent as to the two other charities.

* In the absence of further evidence, many particulars must be left to conjecture; but what I suppose to have been the case is, that the invitation of the Lord Lieutenant first suggested to Handel the idea of performing his music in Ireland;—that when the idea was suggested to him, by this or by any other means, he proceeded to make all needful preliminary inquiries of some friend in Dublin;-that the news of his intention to visit the Irish capital soon became known to the friends of the charities, and that these gentlemen then communicated their wishes to him.

THE CHARITABLE MUSICAL SOCIETY.

33

The Charitable Musical Society had been in active operation for several years before Handel came to Ireland. It is frequently mentioned in Faulkner's Journal as "The Charitable Musical Society for the benefit and enlargement of poor distressed prisoners for debt in the several Marshalseas of the City of Dublin." Its original place of meeting was the Bull's Head Tavern, in Fishamble-street,* from whence the members removed to their great Music-Hall in the same street, on its completion in 1741.

At that time, there existed in Dublin several other charitable musical societies, established for other benevolent purposes: as "The Charitable Musical Society held at the Bear on College-green;""The Charitable and Musical Society in Vicar's-street for enlarging the fund for the reception of sick and wounded poor of this kingdom into Dr. Steevens's Hospital;" "The Charitable Musical Society in Crow-street;""The Musical Society in Warburgh-street." But, from whatever cause, the Society who built the Music-Hall in Fishamble-street seems to have had a sort of pre-eminence accorded to it among the other charitable musical societies of Dublin. When any one of the other contemporary societies is mentioned in the public journals, it is invariably designated by its special place of meeting;

*Whitelaw's Hist. of Dublin; Pue's Occurrences. On the removal of the Society to their new Hall, another Charitable Musical Society assembled at the Bull's Head.-Dublin News-Letter, Dec. 18th to 21st, 1742.

† Faulkner's Journal and other Dublin newspapers of the time; from which it appears also that charitable musical societies were about this time established in some of the provincial towns-Cork, Drogheda, &c.

while this particular society is generally called simply, and, as it were, par excellence, "THE CHARITABLE MUSICAL SOCIETY." It is, however, frequently designated with reference to the special object of its institution; and is sometimes described as "The Charitable Musical Society in Fishamble-street," and "The Musical Society at Mr. Neil's room in Fishamble-street."

The condition of prisoners confined in Irish jails was in those days, fully as miserable and unworthy of a Christian country as that of prisoners throughout England and Scotland at the same time. The circumstances which called for the institution of the Charitable Musical Society in Dublin, were precisely those which, many years afterwards, invited the benevolent labours of the celebrated John Howard. Howard visited Dublin, on his errand of mercy, in the year 1775, and has recorded his testimony to the same deplorable condition of its prisons as he had witnessed elsewhere. It was not till later

times, that the progress of enlightened Christian principles caused the enactment of many important laws for the reformation of prison discipline.

It is difficult for us, who live in an age of rational and humane legislation, to image to ourselves the mournful condition of those unfortunate beings, who, in times not very remote from our own, were cast into our prisons for some trifling debt, and there left to pine in hopeless misery, without medical aid, and without food, save

William Neale, a music-publisher, and Treasurer of the Charitable Musical Society, had incurred some expense in the building of the Music-Hall, which probably gave occasion to its being sometimes called 'Mr. Neale's (or Neil's) music-room." He memorialled the Society, in 1742, on the subject of his expenses.-Dublin News-Letter, March 1st to 5th, 1742.