gant use of her
powers, but employs them with the tact and judgment that can proceed
only from an extraordinary mind. This constitutes her highest praise;
for never did intellect and industry become such perfect substitutes for
organic superiority. Notwithstanding her fine vein of imagination and
the beauty of her execution, she cultivates high and deep passions, and
is never so great as in the adaptation of art to the purest purposes of
expression."

The production of "Tancredi" and of Zingarelli's "Romeo e Giulietta"
followed as the vehicles of Pasta's genius for the pleasure of the
English public, and the season was closed with "Semiramide," in which
her regal majesty seemed to embody the ideal conception of the Assyrian
queen. The scene in the first act where the specter of her murdered
consort appears she made so thrilling and impressive that some of the
older opera-goers compared it to the wonderful acting of Garrick in the
"ghost-scene" of "Hamlet"; and those when she learns that _Arsace_ is
her son, and when she falls by his hand before the tomb of _Ninus_,
were recounted in after-years as among the most startling memories of
a lifetime. During her London season Mme. Pasta went much into society,
and her exalted fame, united with her amiable manners, made her
everywhere sought after. Immense sums were paid her at private concerts,
and her subscription concerts at Almack's were the rage of the town. Her
operatic salary of L14,000 was nearly doubled by her income from other
sources.

III.

The following year the management of the King's Theatre again endeavored
to secure Pasta, who had returned to Paris. Before she would finally
consent she stipulated that the new manager should pay her all the
arrears of salary left unsettled by his predecessor, for, in spite of
its artistic excellence, the late season had not proved a pecuniary
success. After much negotiation the difficulty was arranged, and Mme.
Pasta, binding herself to fill her Parisian engagements at the close of
her leave of absence, received her _conge_ for England. Her reappearance
in "Otello" was greeted with fervid applause, and it was decided that
her singing had gained in finish and beauty, while her acting was as
powerful as before. It was during this season that Pasta first sang with
Malibran. Ronzi di Begnis had lost her voice, Caradori had seceded in
a pet, and the manager in despair tried the trembling and inexperienced
daughter of the grea