w a full-fledged lawyer, but with few clients and causes
to defend. His fruitless leisure was employed in scribbling almanacs in
terza rima, in which he sought to insert such prophecies as were likely
to fulfil themselves. In hopes of further bettering his fortunes, he
also wrote a tragedy called "Amalasunta." He had hoped this would bring
him in one hundred zecchini. Unfortunately, however, he had at the same
time let himself in for a love affair, from which there was no other
exit but that which his father had taught him to adopt in similar
cases, namely, flight from the scene of action. So, putting the MSS. of
"Amalasunta" under his arm, he bolted from his native town. This was
to be the beginning of his artistic career. Milan was his destination,
where he arrived in the full swing of the Carnival. Here he was brought
in contact with Count Prata, Director of the Opera. At a reception
at the house of the prima ballerina, Goldoni undertook to read his
"Amalasunta." The leading actor took exception to it from the outset,
and by the time the reading was ended none of the audience were left in
the room except Count Prata. The play ended, the Count told the author
that his opera was composed with due regard to the rules of Aristotle
and Horace, but was not framed according to the rules laid down for
Italian opera in their day.

"In France," he continued, "you can try to please the public, but here
in Italy, it is the actors and actresses whom you must consult, as well
as the composer of the music and the stage decorators. Everything must
be done according to a certain form, which I will explain to you. Each
of the three principal personages of the opera must sing five airs, two
in the first act, two in the second, and one in the third. The second
actress and the second soprano can only have three, and the lower rank
of artists must be contented with one, or at most two. The author must
submit his words to the musician, and must take care that two pathetic
airs do not follow each other. The same rule must be observed with
regard to the airs of bravura, of action, of secondary action, as also
with regard to the minuet and rondeau. And above all things remember
that on no account must moving or showy airs be given to the performers
of the second rank. These poor people must take what they can get, and
make no attempt to shine."

The Count would have said more, but the author had heard enough. He
thanked his kind critic, took