"Mr. Handel's head is more
full of Maggots than ever: I found yesterday in his room a very queer Instrument, which He
calls Carillon (Angelice a Bell), & says some call it a Tubalcain, I suppose because
it is both in the make & tone like a set of Hammers striking upon Anvils. 'Tis play'd
upon with Keys like a Harpsichord, & with this Cyclopean Instrument he designs to make
poor Saul stark mad. His second Maggot is an Organ of 500£ price, which (because he is
overstock'd with Money) he has bespoke of one Moss of Barnet: this Organ, he says, is so
contriv'd, that as he sits at it, he has a better command of his Performers than he used
to have; & he is highly delighted to think with what exactness his Oratorio will be
perform'd by the help of this Organ: so that for the future, instead of beating time at
his Oratorio's, he is to sit at the Organ all the time with his back to the Audience. His
third Maggot is a Hallelujah which he has trump'd up at the end of his Oratorio since I
went into the Country, because he thought the conclusion of the Oratorio not Grand enough;
tho' if that were the case 'twas his own fault, for the words would have bore as Grand
Musick as he could have set 'em to: but this Hallelujah, Grand as it is, comes in very
nonsensically, having no manner of relation to what goes before. And this is more the
extraordinary, because he refus'd to set a Hallelujah at the end of the first Chorus in
the Oratorio, where I plac'd one & where it was to be introduc'd with the utmost
proprietary, upon a pretence that it would make the Entertainment too long. I could tell
you more of his Maggots: but it grows late & I must defer the rest till I write next;
by which time, I doubt not, more new ones will breed in his Brain."
