oman, with a lovely voice,
realised together 136 pounds; Mr. Hollinsworth, 124 pounds; and Mr. Ward
119 pounds. In modern days the Clarkes (the manager and his wife) have
received as much as 300 pounds at their benefits. One of the best
speculations Mr. Lewis ever made was the engagement of Paganini, shortly
after his first appearance in the metropolis, in, I think, 1829 or 1830.
This wonderful genius had taken the musical world of London by storm, and
struck terror and despair into the hearts of the violinists of his day;
one and all of whom declaring, as a friend of mine said of his own
playing--although eminent in his profession--"that they were only
fiddlers." Paganini's playing was most unearthly and inhuman. I never
heard anything like the tones he produced from his violin--the sounds now
crashing as if a demoniac was tearing and straining at the strings, now
melting away with the softest and tenderest harmonies. He kept his
hearers enthralled by his magical music, and astonished by his wonderful
execution. I shall never forget hearing him play the "Walpurgis Nacht,"
when he appeared at the Amphitheatre in 1835 or 1836. It was painting a
picture by means of sounds. His descriptive powers were wonderful.
Anybody with the least touch of imagination could bring before "his
mind's eye" the infernal revel that the artist was depicting. The
enchantments of the witches were visible. You could hear their
diabolical songs, you could fancy their mad and wild dances; while, when
the cock crew (imitated by the way in a most astonishing manner), you
would feel that there was a rushing of bodies through the air, which were
scattering in all directions. Then the lovely melody
succeeding--descriptive of the calm dawn of summer morning--came
soothingly on the senses after the strain of excitement that the mind had
experienced. In that delicious melody you could fancy you saw the rosy
colours of the breaking day and gradually the rising of the sun, giving
light and beauty to the world. That performance was the most wonderful I
ever listened to, and I feel confident no one but those who did hear this
strange man can ever entertain any notion of his style or performance.
His first engagement in Liverpool was at the Theatre Royal, and a
characteristic anecdote is related of the Signor in this transaction. At
the Amphitheatre, Signor De Begnis, the great harp player--the husband of
the fascinating Ronzi de Begnis, and who r