n the
Marchioness's heart. She discloses the fact that she is in reality
Marie's mother, and adjures her by her filial respect to give up the
thought of her low-born lover. Marie consents in an agony of grief. The
lovers part with many tears, and at the psychological moment the
Marchioness relents, and all ends happily.

Even slighter in scope is 'Don Pasquale,' a brilliant trifle, written
for the Theatre des Italiens in Paris, and there sung for the first time
in 1843, by Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache. The story turns upon
a trick played by Ernesto and Norina, two young lovers, upon the uncle
and guardian of the former, Don Pasquale. Ernesto will not marry to
please his uncle, so the old gentleman determines to marry himself.
Norina is introduced to Don Pasquale as his sister by a certain Dr.
Malatesta, a friend of Ernesto, and the amorous old gentleman at once
succumbs to her charms. No sooner is the marriage contract signed than
Norina, acting upon her instructions, launches forth upon a career of
unexampled shrewishness, extravagance, and flirtation. Her poor old
lover is distracted by her wild vagaries, and in the end is only too
thankful to hand her over bag and baggage to his nephew, who generously
consents to relieve his uncle of his unlucky bargain.

The music of 'L'Elisir d'Amore' is not inferior to that of 'Don
Pasquale' in sparkle and brilliancy, but the plot is tame and childish
compared to the bustle and intrigue of the latter work. It turns upon a
sham love potion sold by a travelling quack to Nemorino, a country lout
who is in love with Adina, the local beauty. Adina is divided between
the attractions of Nemorino and those of the Sergeant Belcore, who is
quartered in the village. In order to get money to pay for the potion
Nemorino joins the army, and this proof of his devotion has so
convincing an effect upon the affections of Adina that she discards the
soldier and bestows her hand upon Nemorino. To this silly plot is allied
some of the most delightful music Donizetti ever wrote. Fresh, graceful,
and occasionally tender, it forms the happiest contrast to the grandiose
nonsense which the composer was in the habit of turning out to suit the
vitiated taste of the day, and is a convincing proof that if he had been
permitted to exercise his talent in a congenial sphere, Donizetti would
be entitled to rank with the most successful followers of Cimarosa and
Paisiello, instead of being degraded to the