to kiss the staff, which
was presented to him, but he refused to do it. He was detained
three-quarters of an hour, against his will. His foot was hurt, and
the coachman was injured by a blow from the "staff."

The coachman corroborated the evidence, and the defendants were fined
ten shillings each.

On the 29th April, there was an uproar in the Italian Opera House, which
might have expanded into another O.P. riot of 1809. The Impresario, M.
Laporte, had not engaged Tamburini, because his terms were too high, and
the singer's friends were highly indignant. On this evening, at the
conclusion of the opera of _I Puritani_, several voices began calling for
M. Laporte, with shouts of "Tamburini!" Poor M. Laporte appeared and
began a speech in which he sought to excuse himself, but it was drowned
by a torrent of groans and hisses, which came, principally, from the
occupants of the "omnibus" box. {128} M. Laporte so clearly perceived
this, that, in a few minutes, his speech to the audience merged into a
private conversation with its occupants. The noise increased, and M.
Laporte declared that he was not to be "intimidated," a word which roused
the "omnibus" party to perfect fury. He retired, and the curtain rose
for the ballet, in which a new dancer was to have made her appearance.
The noise, now, became terrible; yells, hisses, and all sorts of uncouth
sounds were blended in frightful discord. The dancers, perceiving all
attempts at a performance were in vain, and, at the same time, being
afraid to quit the stage, sat quietly, all round.

Again and again Laporte came forward, and tried to bring matters to a
settlement, and once he ventured to say, that, as manager, he had a right
to engage performers at his own discretion, and that he was not to be
responsible to an audience--which, it is needless to say, added fuel to
fire. Then he told them his engagements would not allow him to employ
Tamburini, which meant ruin to him, but it only provoked more noise.
Then he appealed to their better feelings by telling them of the many
years he had catered for their amusement, and this did bring him some
support, for cries of "Shame," "No Tamburini," and "No Intimidation,"
were heard, but this only had the effect of dividing the audience, and
increasing the hubbub.

Once again poor Laporte came forward, and talked of engaging Tamburini on
"Conditions." This word upset all, and the Tamburinists asked: "Wil