t the best when
all the other dear charmers are away, and in the character she will
probably remain in possession of the field, or, rather, "the Garden,"
till the end of the season. The remainder as before, with DEVOYOD
as _Escamillo_. But what has become of the "go" in the _Toreador's_
great song? Where are the double _encores_? Where, indeed, the hearty
applause? Surely it has gone the way of the March in _Faust_, once
so enthusiastically received and cheered to the echo; and now--"March
off!" It is true that, once let a "tuney tune" become vulgarised by
street-musicians, and organic disease would be sufficient to kill it
were it not tortured and ground to death by remorseless hands. But
the _Toreador's_ song and the March have not been the victims of an
organised opposition. Perhaps, though, they may have been, only 'tis
so long ago as not to be within the ken of the present deponent.
Anyhow, the _Toreador's_ song goes for nothing nowadays, and yet 'tis
as good as ever.

[Illustration]

_Thursday_.--We welcomed _The Don_. Not the Academic Don once so
popularly represented by Mr. J.L. TOOLE, but MOZART's Italianised
Spanish Don. _A propos_ of Mr. TOOLE, it has always been the wonder of
his friends, to whom the quality of his vocal powers is so well known,
that he has never been tempted to renounce the simple histrionic for
the lyric Drama. It is said, and "greatly to his credit," that, had
it not been for his unwillingness to rob his friend SIMS REEVES of the
laurel-crown he wears as first English Tenor of his age, he would long
ago have set up a most dangerous opposition to that sweet singer, and
have ridden off victoriously with "_My Pretty Jane_" seated up behind
him, pillion-wise, on the noble steed known as "_The Bay of Biscay
O!_"

But the above is an _entr'acte_, shorter than those at Covent Garden,
by the way. M. MAUREL first-rate as the _Don_, both in acting and
singing, even better in former than latter; but the dear old serenade,
which never can be vulgarised, in spite of its popularity, was
encored, and the encore was gracefully accepted, Signor BEVIGNANI
being in the chair, and willing to tap the desk and announce,
"Gentlemen! Monsieur MAUREL will oblige again!" Applause.

If all the village maidens could dress in a costume such as Miss
ZELIE-ZERLINA wears, then, to take the best and nicest view of it,
that village must be uncommonly prosperous. Probably tourists' visits
are not few and far between: