THE MUSICIAN ABOUT TOWN. 119 
of the opera depended. On the first night, therefore, a want of his 
accustomed ease and fluency was perceptible. One benefit, how- 
ever, may be derived by the English school, and reflectively by the 
musical public, from the production of the “ Falstaff ;” and that is, 
that since the Italian performers will condescend to learn a new 
opera for an English theatre, whether it may not be worth the con- 
sideration of the noble patrons of our Royal Academy, and of the 
science in general, to offer a handsome reward every year for the best 
native composition, with the best libretto, and to use their influence 
in having it brought out in their own aristocratic theatre. By this 
plan the English talent will be brought into the same arena with 
the Italian, and (national predilection aside) we should haye no fear 
of the result with all unprejudiced men of science. So long as Eng- 
lish talent is shut out from competing with foreign talent upon the 
same field, while the latter is unduly encouraged, so long will the 
native artist feel and write at a disadvantage. The same exclusive- 
ness does not exist with regard to our painters. At the Royal Aca- 
demy exhibition, and at that of the British Institution in Pall Mall, 
and which is supported entirely by the aristocracy, our artists main- 
tain their dignity in the best possible fashion, by affording ready 
admittance to compositions of foreigners. Here native, German 
and French talent, are frequently brought together on the same 
stage, and to no disadvantage of the native artist. If the English 
musician were encouraged in the same liberal manner, there is no 
question that in a few years we should number the Ettys, the Wil- 
kies, the Turners, the Landseers, the Calcotts, in the English school 
of music ; for a more energetic people than the English, or one that 
will with greater manliness and constancy struggle against an ob- 
stacle, or that can with greater facility direct at will their intellec- 
tual faculties, does not exist in the whole world. What they have 
achieved, and are achieving, in the elegant arts, through clouds of 
difficulty, coldness, and embarassment, is heroic, is gigantic. They 
deserve not the neglect of their wealthy brethren. 
At the English Opera, which has for a few weeks past been open, 
under the principal direction of Mr. Peake, a new musical piece has 
been brought out, composed by the clever pupil of the Academy, 
young Macfarren, entitled “‘ The Devil’s Opera.” The plot and 
dialogue are from the pen of the composer's father. Had the latter 
been as successful in his department of the labour as his son, we 
should have had a conjoined work exhibiting more than ordinary 
talent. But our musical dramatists are usually very unfortunate in 
the vehicle they employ for carrying out their compositions. Some 
