CHAPTER II - 1708–1720

Summary

It has already been shown that Handel was at Rome in April, 1708; and one of his manuscripts, belonging to the Granville family, and which has been shown to me by the kindness of the Lady of Sir Benjamin Hall, enables us to follow him with certainty to Naples. It is that of the chamber trio, “Se tunon lasci amor” and is clearly signed in the large handwriting which Handel then used, “Q. F. Handel, li 12 Luglio, 1708, Napoli” A document so perfectly authentic affords a new starting-point in rectifying the errors committed respecting this part of Handel's life, and gives a great appearance of exactness to my conjectures as to preceding as well as subsequent periods. It, is incontestable that he was at Naples on the 12th of July, 1708. According to all the authors, it was there that he wrote his Italian serenata, “Act, Galattea e Polifemo” (the textual title of the MS.). In this, everything takes place between the three personages; there is neither any division of acts, nor chorus, nor even an over- 1 On the b ture; at least according to the present state of the MS. It is, indeed, more of a cantata for three voices with an orchestra than a serenata; at any rate, it is not an opera, as Mr. Stemdale Bennett calls it in his preface to the English Acis, published by the Handel Society. But whatever may be the title, this composition, written by the author when only twenty-three years old, and still unedited, is far from meriting oblivion.