New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-11-26

snd sfteYWard wrote more. IL these M, had lived
longer, would have been impossible for them 70 eu,
pcse themselves. Great artists on the other ksrd,
sbo are destined to have long hvss are slow In pro
ducon or rather they produce their bsst things in the
decline Of life. Handel composed his greatest worn.
=" The Funeral Anthem" fsrael, !" =" The Messisa
Samson" The De,tingen TIE Deun," aud judas
Maeosbaus"-after he was 81 years old. Rameau
wse 81 when he began to write for the theAter Guek
had not composed one Of bis immortal operas when hs
was So Haydn was On Old man Of Is years when he
produced fhe Creation" Murillo became Murillo
| Only az 40 years of age. Pousein was 10 when be
painted The Delugs.' which il the most POLITICALLY
great Of all his rob)e pictures Michel Angelo coua:'d
uore than 90 years when be enciusted his incompsrs
bic fresco Of The Las judgment upon the walls Of
the S1tine Cbspe and he was 81 years old when he
raised the cupola OF ST. Peters 70 the heaveAs.
Among the tributes received BY this orstofio was
rather Whimsical one from the famous preacher,
tie Raw John Newton, who published two snor.
meus volumes Of sermons entitled. Messiah {:
Fifty EIpo,itory Disco ur.s on the Scripturs Pas
sases which form the subject Of the celebrated
Oratorio Of Hardel," although the worthy man
oratorio." 81 have bsen infor ned" he says,
"thst tho music of the passsge He will dash
them in pieces was 90 well adapted to the idss
which it expressed that it made the hearers tremble
with fear
In February, 1852, Handel produced " Jephths,"
which was destined to prove the swsn-song Of the
great composer. he had already experienced
symptoms Of blindness, and after submitting three
times to painful operation he found that bis sight
was irrecoverably gone. "On the 9th Of Janus.
~, l753 journal announced that Mr.. Handel
has at length, unhapply, lost bis sight. Upon his
being coucbed some time snce he saw 20 well,
that his friends fat<red themselves his sight WAS
restored for continuance; but q few days have
entirely put an end to their hopes"
This terrible misfortune at frat afflicted him pro-
foundly, but perceving that the evil was withousa
remedy, he resigned himself to bis fate, and re.
solved to continue bis oratorio performances. He
thought he could no longer preside the organ on
account of bis blindness and sent for his pupil,
Christopher Smith, who was then travelling in
France, to assist him in the approaching Lent
season Smith quilted everything to please him,
and they began the season on tue 9th Of March.
1853. At each performance Handel plsyed - usual
. concerto on the organ, which was for the great
mass Of the public, one Of the great attractions
Offered on these occasions. Samson, one of his
favorits osratorios, was in the programme Of the
sea,on.. In spite Of all his moral energy, the au.
thor could not i,ten untroubled to the pathetic air
of the sightless Hercules Of the Hebrews in which
eclipse No SUD, no moon! Then it was that
they saw the grand old man. who was seated near tho
organ, grow pale and tremble, and when they led
him forward to the audience, which was applaud
pg, many persons present were 30 forcbly affected
that they were moved even to tears" Smith pro-
sided at the organ during that year, but Handel re-
sumed it and did not again leave the pos. until the
close Of bis life.
In the Spring of 1859, on returning homo from
the performance Of the Messiah, !" 10 was seized
with uncommon exhaustion, mortal symptoms were
soon exhibited, and On the 18Th Of April, one
week from the FIRST attack, he breathed his last
having just completed the seventy fourth yex Of
his sge. He had lived TO triumph, in q great
measure, over bis enemies. For the ten preceding
years he had suffered little hostility. Inc public
were more and more attracted to his performances
the nobility confessed themselves vsnquished by his
Retius his music was admitted on all sides to b
unrivaled in the world Of art.
Handel was man of siDgularly robust const
tuition and of great muscular vigor. In person no
vas large and portly. His features were finely
marked, with rare beauty of expression. His
mouth was email and delicate, his eyes were bril-
liant habituaiy opened wide, and full Of anmstisn
and boldness. His short and prominent eyebrow,
like those of Bach and Beethoven, were thought BY
ply gnonsts to indicate profound thought. Like
almost all composers he had decided turn for
ples,antIy. His affected simplicity gave an eIqu-
site rest to his conversation. No man could tell .
story with moro effect, although ho was apt to uss
three or four languages before he finished HE nara
tive. His wit, however, was without malice. It,
strokes drew no blood "He was" says Barney
"impetuous, rough, and peremptory in bis mar
ners and conversation, but totally devoid Of i'll ma
turs or malevolence; indeed there WAS ~
original bumor and pleasantly 10 his most live
ly sallies Of anger and impotence which, with
bis broken English, were extremely risible."
His love Of humor was combined with great
pride Of character. He never became familiar
with bis associates, even in his gayest moods He
was very ab,ept. and had habit of talking to him
sell, though in 50 loud tone Of voice, that it Was
easy TO learn the subject Of bis sOliloquies.
Once there was brought to him young man
whose taste for music and good dispositions had
been praiied greatly. But the lad ran away, and
on the next day the for,aken protector was hoard
communipg with himself, a. he took his walk 10
Hyde Park, der tee!el de fAter was desheeved;
de mutter was desheevsd; but l WAS not de-
sheevtd he 10 sint I'd schountrel and eoot for nut
ting" He had adopted the disgusting custom Of the
fashion able world Of his day. Of interlarding al COZ
xs,aafion With oaths Hia reliriona sentmAnta do