THE MUSICIAN ABOUT TOWN. 117 
less secure the patronage of the fashionable portion of our nobility ; 
but that is not the class of composition which the “amateurs” of 
the Philharmonic would tolerate. Our aristocracy—the fashiona- 
bly-influential portion of it at least—are pleased only with modern 
music, and that of the newest mint. Her Majesty, who, one would 
have thought, from the character of her teachers, and consequently 
of her education, must have imbibed a different taste, has shown an 
exclusive preference for the modern Italian school of composition : 
for she rarely missed attending her own theatre throughout the sea- 
son ; whereas, in contradiction to the reported high taste of her 
Majesty in musical matters, she was present at one performance 
only of the Ancient Concerts ; and then the Italian singers were 
summoned, whom Mr. Laporte had withheld from every other pub- 
lic concert in London, except those which were held in his own 
theatre ; while the Philharmonic Society, with its magnificent 
orchestra and unrivalled collection of symphonies, were not, in one 
single instance, honoured by the personal sanction and approval of 
her Majesty. The fashionable elite, therefore, of the aristocracy, 
are ill inclined to patronize that class of music which is the sole 
support of the Philharmonic Concerts, and for the performing of 
which the society was instituted. Its primary object was to pro- 
duce, for the benefit of the profession and the classical amateur, the 
most sterling instrumental compositions of the great masters ; and 
it will continue to receive the exclusive support of these two classes 
till the “ fashionable portion of the aristucracy” condescend to be- 
stow their patronage on that which has already been received with 
rapture for years by their plebeian brethren. 
The Italian Opera closed on the 18th of August, after a season of 
extraordinary brilliancy and success. Reports are, of course, afloat 
as to the amount of profit accruing to the lessee in consequence of 
this brilliant season ; and their range is somewhat fantastic, varying 
from 0 (zero) to £.45,000. One theatrical statist, calculating from 
the average bulk of the audiences, concludes that his quotient in 
favour of the lessee cannot be less than the higher sum named ; 
while the green-room gossip and quid-nunc insinuates the edifying 
fact that the whole of the profits have been divided among the Jews, 
the ostensible speculator not having benefited himself to the amount 
of one farthing. Neither account is, probably, correct, nor, indeed, 
is either result of the slightest consequence. Whether Jew or Gen- 
tile have made a fine harvest by the predilections of the wealthy, 
we care not one straw ; but it were desirable that so powerful a 
body as our rich aristocracy should give a healthy tone to the taste- 
