i32 9 .l MUSIC. 



155 



that he was one of the six appointed to make the examination 

 stricter, and that they were determined this would make it a 

 very different thing from any previous examination, that from 

 all this I am sure it will be the very devil to pay amongst all 

 idle men and entomologists. Erasmus, we expect home in a 

 few weeks' time : he intends passing next winter in Paris. Be 

 sure you order the two lists of insects published by Stephens, 

 one printed on both sides, and the other only on one ; you 

 will find them very useful in many points of view. 



Dear old Fox, yours, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



Christ's College, Thursday [October 16, 1829]. 

 MY DEAR Fox, 



I am afraid you will be very angry with me for not having 

 written during the Music Meeting, but really I was worked 

 so hard that I had no time ; I arrived here on Monday and 

 found my rooms in dreadful confusion, as they have been 

 taking up the floor, and you may suppose that I have had 

 plenty to do for these two days. The Music Meeting* was 

 the most glorious thing I ever experienced ; and as for Mali- 

 bran, words cannot praise her enough, she is quite the most 

 charming person I ever saw. We had extracts out of several 

 of the best operas, acted in character, and you cannot imagine 

 how very superior it made the concerts to any I ever heard 

 before. J. de Begnis f acted ' II Fanatico ' in character ; be- 

 ing dressed up an extraordinary figure gives a much greater 

 effect to his acting. He kept the whole theatre in roars of 

 laughter. I liked Madame Blasis very much, but nothing 

 will do after Malibran, who sung some comic songs, and [a] 

 person's heart must have been made of stone not to have lost 

 it to her. I lodged very near the Wedgwoods, and lived 

 entirely with them, which was very pleasant, and had you 



* At Birmingham. f De Begnis's Christian name was Giuseppe. 



