Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Kent, Purcell, Doctor Arne, Greene, Mendelssohn. I know the choruses to those anthems by heart. Foundling Chapel collection.
Mr. Wilding had a scheme of forming his household retainers and dependents into a singing-class in the warehouse, and a choir in the neighbouring church. Only one member, Joey Ladle, refused to join, for fear he should ‘muddle the 'armony,’ and his remark that
Handel must have been down in some of them foreign cellars pretty much for to go and say the same thing so many times over
is certainly not lacking in originality.
Hymns and Hymn-Tunes
There are many purists in church music who object to adaptations of any kind, and we do not know what their feelings are on reading the account of the meeting of the Brick Lane Branch of the United Grand Junction Ebenezer Temperance Association. In order to vary the proceedings Mr. Anthony Humm announced that
Brother Mordlin had adapted the beautiful words of ‘Who hasn't heard of a Jolly Young Waterman’ to the tune of the Old Hundredth, which he would request them to join in singing. (Great applause.) And so the song commenced, the chairman giving out two lines at a time, in proper orthodox fashion.
It was this air that Mr. Jerry's dog, as already related, ground out of the barrel-organ, but, besides this particular melody, we do not find that Dickens mentions any other hymn-tune. The hymns referred to are rather more in number. In The Wreck of the Golden Mary Mrs. Atherfield sang Little Lucy to sleep with the Evening Hymn. There is a veiled reference to Ken's Morning Hymn in O.C.S., where Sampson Brass says:
‘Here we are, Mr. Richard, rising with the sun to run our little course—our course of duty, sir.’
Dr. Watts makes several appearances, Dickens made the acquaintance of this noted hymnist in early youth (see p. [7]), and makes good use of his knowledge. In The Cricket on the Hearth Mrs. Peerybingle asks John if he ever learnt ‘How doth the little’ when he went to school. ‘Not to quite know it,’ John returned. ‘I was very near it once.’ Another of the Doctor's hymns is suggested by the behaviour of the Young Tetterbys (H.M.).