This article examines the early writings of one of Handel's English librettists, Newburgh Hamilton. It describes what seems to be Hamilton's first publication, the little-studied Tory satire The Changes (1711), sets it alongside other early publications and biographical details, and reads this material alongside two of Hamilton's librettos for Handel, Alexander's Feast (1736) and Samson (1743). Hamilton's early writings are approached less as contexts for the oratorios than as texts with their own interest, and as intertexts to be set in dialogue with later productions. The article seeks to contribute to debate over the politics of Handel's vocal music, debate provoked not least by the difficulties of defining the sphere and meanings of politics in eighteenth-century culture, and of conceptualizing the collaborative endeavours and multiple sites of composition, patronage, business, performance and reception that make up Handel's oratorios.

中文翻译：

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变化，还是 Plus ça 变化？纽堡汉密尔顿的早期著作和亨德尔歌词的政治

本文考察了亨德尔的一位英国编剧纽堡·汉密尔顿的早期作品。它描述了似乎是汉密尔顿的第一部出版物，很少研究的保守党讽刺变化（1711 年），将其与其他早期出版物和传记细节放在一起，并与汉德尔的两首汉德尔歌词一起阅读此材料，亚历山大的盛宴（1736）和参孙（1743 年）。汉密尔顿的早期作品与其说是作为清唱剧的背景，不如说是作为具有自己兴趣的文本，以及与后来的作品对话的互文。这篇文章旨在为关于亨德尔声乐政治的辩论做出贡献，这场辩论尤其是由于在定义 18 世纪文化中的政治领域和意义的困难，以及对合作努力和作曲、赞助、构成亨德尔清唱剧的商业、表演和接待。