I have the honour to
remain, Sir, your very obedient servant,
(_Signed_)
A. BRIEFLESS, JUNIOR.
_Pump-Handle Court, January 24, 1891._
* * * * *
"PRO-DIGIOUS!"--In last Sunday's _Observer_ we read that at St.
Petersburg Madame MELBA, as _Juliette, "was recalled thirty-one times
before the proscenium._" The italics are ours, rather! If this sort of
thing is to be repeated during the Opera season here, and each gifted
singer is recalled in proportion to his or her merits, the audience
will not get away till the following morning. _Juliette_ must have
said, on the above-mentioned occasion, "Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I could say 'good-night' until to-morrow." And the usual chorus
of operatic _habitues_ will be, "We won't go home till morning. Till
daylight doth appear!" with _refrain_, "For--she (or he)'s a jolly
good singer," &c., _ad infinitum_, or "_ad infi-next-nightum_."
* * * * *
THE FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.
ENGLAND TO ATHENS:--
O Queen of Cities, with a crown of woe,
Scarred by the ruin of two thousand years,
By fraud and by barbarian force laid low,
Buried in dust, and watered with the tears
Of unregarded bondmen, toiling on,
Crushed in the shadow of their Parthenon;
[Illustration]
Mother of heroes, Athens, nought availed
The Macedonian's triumph, or the chain
Of Rome; the conquering Osmanli failed,
His myriad hosts have trampled thee in vain.
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