nted herself in seven or eight operas which had not existed
when she left the stage--Bellini's _Sonnambula_, Donizetti's _Linda_,
_La Figlia del Reggimento_, _Don Pasquale_; _Le Tre Nozze_, of Signor
Alary, _La Tempesta_, by M. Halevy--the last two works involving what
the French call 'creation,' otherwise the production of a part never
before represented.--In one of the favourite characters of her
predecessor, the elder artist beat the younger one hollow.--This was
as Maria, in Donizetti's _La Figlia_, which Mdlle. Lind may be said to
have brought to England, and considered as her special property....
With myself, the real value of Madame Sontag grew, night after
night--as her variety, her conscientious steadiness, and her adroit
use of diminished powers were thus mercilessly tested. In one respect,
compared with every one who had been in my time, she was alone, in
right, perhaps of the studies of her early days--as a singer of
Mozart's music."

It was after these last London seasons that Mme. Sontag undertook an
American tour. She died in Mexico.

The great Mme. Pasta's ill-advised return to the stage in 1850 (when
she made two belated appearances in London) is matter for sadder
comment. Chorley, indeed, is at his best when he writes of it, his pen
dipped in tears, for none had admired this artist in her prime more
passionately than he. Here was a particularly good opportunity to
study the bare skeleton of interpretative art; the result is one of
the most striking passages in all literature:

"Her voice, which at its best, had required ceaseless watching and
practice, had been long ago given up by her. Its state of utter ruin
on the night in question passes description.--She had been neglected
by those who, at least, should have presented her person to the best
advantage admitted by Time.--Her queenly robes (she was to sing some
scenes from _Anna Bolena_) in nowise suited or disguised her figure.
Her hair-dresser had done some tremendous thing or other with her
head--or rather had left everything undone. A more painful and
disastrous spectacle could hardly be looked on.--There were artists
present, who had then, for the first time, to derive some impression
of a renowned artist--perhaps, with the natural feeling that her
reputation had been exaggerated.--Among these was Rachel--whose bitter
ridicule of the entire sad show made itself heard throughout the whole
theatre, and drew attention to the place where she sat-