200 ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE OPERA IN LONDON. 



Struggled ; the rage for music fled with Miss Tibbs* spoons ; he 

 sighed as he sat in the bow-windowed parlour ; yes, he must abuse 

 what he could not much longer use — his credit. Borrowing dulls 

 the edge of husbandry ; but I am too sharp, said Peregrine, and 

 therefore can afford to get a little blunt. 



Lightnings and storms do harbinger events : Professor Peregrine 

 Peascod's first visit to the Crown and Sausage was commemorated 

 by that night's awful tempest. The sun threw his last golden 

 beams over the gloomy tabernacles of ^Market Mowbray as poor Pe- 

 regrine bade a silent adieu to his friends, and, striking out of the 

 public road into the woodlands, pursued his solitary way. 



Poor Miss Martha Tibbs ! she felt relieved by the sufferings of 

 the good tradespeople who had silvered the pockets of Peregrine 

 Peascod. She lived to get older ; but, it is said, she never heard 

 the sound of a bell but it " opened all the cells where memory slept," 

 when she muttered a hasty curse against the name of Peregrine 

 Peascod and the " Expression of Music." 



ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE OPERA IN 

 LONDON. 



( Continued from page 48). 



It is due to the high and extended reputation which Rossini has 

 acquired, to allow that his works deserve a prominent place in every 

 theatrical establishment in Europe, although it may at the same 

 time admit of doubt whether his merits have not been somewhat 

 over-rated. He was not possessed of sufficient application to render 

 him a scientific musician ; consequently, where the situation will 

 not allow of a pretty melody with marked rythm, he has recourse 

 either to forced modulations and abrupt transitions, or he will be 

 found to cause weariness by sameness and repetition. He likewise 

 fails in imparting to his several personages a distinct character. His 

 bass songs are as full of roulades as those for the soprano; and 

 transposition would not unfrequently render them suitable for any 

 description of voice.* The origin of the very florid style which 



• The celebrated Frederick Schneider, composer of the Deluge and other 

 oratorios, has the following observations on the subject : — " As dramatic mu- 



