Gluck journeyed to London at the end of 1745. He was then thirty-one years old. He gave two operas in London, _La Caduta de'Giganti_ and _Artamene_. (Certain solos from them are to be found in the very rare collection of _Delizie dell'opere_, Vol. II, London, Walsh, possessed by the library of the Paris Conservatoire.) This journey of Gluck in England has no importance in the story of Handel, who showed himself somewhat scornful in his regard for Gluck's music. But it was not so for Gluck, who all his life professed the most profound respect for Handel. He regarded him as his master; he even imagined that he imitated him (see Michael Kelly: _Reminiscences_, I, 255), and certainly one is struck by the analogies between certain pages in Handel's oratorios written from 1744 to 1746 (notably _Hercules_ and _Judas Maccabæus_) and the grand operas of Gluck. We find in the two funeral scenes from the first and second acts of _Judas Maccabæus_ the pathetic accents and harmonies of Gluck's _Orpheus_. [257] After 1747 Handel, abandoning his system of subscriptions, turned his back on his aristocratic clientèle, which had treated him so shamefully, and opened his theatre to all. It paid him. The middle classes of London responded to his appeal. After 1748 Handel had full houses at nearly all his concerts. [258] Poem founded on the book of Maccabees by Thomas Morell. The first performance March 23, 1748. [259] Poem by Thomas Morell, first performances March 9, 1748. [260] The poem, apparently, by Thomas Morell, notwithstanding its want of mention in his notes. First performance March 17, 1749. [261] The Firework Music has been published in Volume XLVII of the Complete Handel Edition. For the performance on April 27, 1749, the orchestra numbered one hundred. Schoelcher has published a correspondence on the subject of this work between Lord Montague, General-in-chief of the Artillery, and Charles Frederick, Controller of the King's fireworks. One sees there that very serious differences arose between Handel and Lord Montague. [262] The Foundling Hospital was founded in 1739 by an old mariner, Thomas Coram, "for the maintainance and education of abandoned children." Handel devoted himself to this institution, and gave performances of the _Messiah_ annually for its funds. In 1750 he was elected a Governor of the Hospital, after he had made it a gift of an organ. [263] Vol. XXXVI of the Complete Handel Edition. The Foundling Anthem, of which more than one page is taken from the Funeral Anthem, finishes with the Hallelujah from the _Messiah_ in its original form. [264] The libretto was inspired by the _Théodore vierge et martyre_ of Corneille. [265] Written between June 28 and July 5, and produced on March 1, to follow Alexander's feast as "a new act added." [266] A paragraph in the _General Advertiser_ of August 21, 1750, tells us that Handel was very seriously hurt between La Haye and Amsterdam, but that he was already out of danger.