150 CAPTAIN THOMAS CORAM. 



On the completion of the chapel he further presented a very fine 

 organ, which may still be heard there, which he opened personally 

 on May 1st, 1750 when the concourse of visitors was so great 

 that the performance was repeated 15 days afterwards. The 

 audiences on these occasions, it was stated, were conveyed in no 

 less than 800 coaches and chairs. 



From this exceptional generosity on the part of Handel the 

 governors fancied he wished to present them with the copyright 

 of the Oratorio of the Messiah, which they would have to secure 

 to themselves by an Act of Parliament, and accordingly one of their 

 number waited on him for this purpose. On ascertaining the 

 object he had come for Handel is said to have exclaimed in his 

 broken but forcible English : " Te deivel, for vat sal de Foundling 

 put inein Oratorio in de Parlement. Te deivel, mein music sal 

 not go to de Parlement." At the death of the great musician the 

 following bequest was found amongst his papers : " I give a fair 

 copy of the score and all the parts of my Oratorio, called ' The 

 Messiah,' to the Foundling Hospital." 



I have been acquainted with the Foundling Hospital for several 

 years, and whilst I was preparing this paper I wished to correct 

 my memory on certain points. Accordingly I visited it again on 

 Sunday, July 12th. Ey a curious coincidence it was Founder's 

 Day, the chapel was crowded to overflowing, the Lord Mayor was 

 present in semi-state, the Duke of Cambridge occupied a seat in 

 the governors' pew, the Bishop of Eipon was the preacher, the 

 Hallelujah Chorus was played as the concluding voluntary on the 

 organ, on which Handel had so often played himself. Twelve 

 Foundlings, having reached the age of 21 years, and having borne 

 a good character whilst within the walls of the hospital, and since 

 they had left it, four of the men bearing Her Majesty's uniform, 

 were present, as is the custom, to return thanks to Almighty God 

 for having been brought up to the estate of manhood or woman- 

 hood, and to receive subsequently in the principal hall a gratuity 

 of o a-piece from the general funds, which was duly presented to 

 them by the Duke of Cambridge. The number of children 



