ra, gave
an air by Gluck, which I myself had studied, "Pago fui, fui lieto un
di." Lord Lansdowne told me that this lady was the most obliging of
artists. I afterwards heard her in "Linda di Chamounix," which was then
in its first favor. The concert ended with the prayer from Rossini's
"Mose in Egitto," sung by the artists already named with the addition of
the great Lablache.

At the conclusion of it we adjourned to the supper-room, which afforded
us a better opportunity of observing the distinguished company. My
husband was presently engaged in conversation with the Hon. Mrs. Norton,
who was then very handsome. Her hair, which was decidedly black, was
arranged in flat bandeaux, according to the fashion of the time. A
diamond chain, formed of large links, encircled her fine head. Her eyes
were dark and full of expression. Her dress was unusually _decolletee_,
but most of the ladies present would in America have been considered
extreme in this respect. Court mourning had recently been ordered for
the Duke of Sussex, uncle to the Queen, and many black dresses were
worn. My memory, nevertheless, tells me that the great Duchess of
Sutherland wore a dress of pink _moire_, and that her head was adorned
with a wreath of velvet leaves interspersed with diamonds. Her brother,
Lord Morpeth, was also present. I heard a lady say to him, "Are you
worthy of music?" He replied, "Oh, yes; very worthy." I heard the same
phrase repeated by others, and, on inquiring as to its meaning, was told
that it was a way of asking whether one was fond of music. The formula
has long since gone out of fashion.

Somewhat later in the season we were invited to dine at Lansdowne House.
Among the guests present I remember Lord Morpeth. I had some
conversation with the daughter of the house, Lady Louisa Fitzmaurice,
who was pleasing, but not pretty, and wore a dress of light blue silk,
with a necklace around her throat formed of many strands of fine gold
chain. I was asked at this dinner whether I should object to sitting
next to a colored person in, for example, a box at the opera. Were I
asked this question to-day, I should reply that this would depend upon
the character and cleanliness of the colored person, much as one would
say in the case of a white man or woman. I remember that Lord Lansdowne
wore a blue ribbon across his breast, and on it a flat star of silver.

Among the well-remembered glories of that summer, the new delight of the
drama hol