Bath in its relation to Art. 109 



star. Of all the attractions of Bath, she was then the great- 

 est. Overwhelmed with offers of marriage, she eventually 

 gave herself to Sheridan. Keen as was the interest in the 

 various romantic incidents of her life prior to that event, it 

 would have been keener if those whom she fascinated by 

 her voice and loveliness could have looked into the future. 

 It was in 1772 that she became the wife of — 



" The orator,' dramatist, minstrel, who ran 



Through each mode of the lyre and mastered them all ; " 



and in 1778 she was amongst the brilliant crowd in West- 

 minster Hall, immortalised as Reynolds' Saint Cecilia, " the 

 beautiful mother of a beautiful race," listening to her hus- 

 band's wonderful speech at the trial of Warren Hastings. 



Next to the Linleys at Bath was an accom- 



Rauz^ini. 



plished Italian, Signor Rauzzini. Leaving 

 Rome, his native city, when very young, he began his career 

 at Vienna as principal singer at the opera, where he had the 

 friendship of Metastasio, but soon entered the service of 

 the Elector of Bavaria at Munich. In 1774 he came to 

 London, where also he was engaged at the opera, and soon 

 acquired great eminence both as actor and author, winning 

 especially the enthusiastic admiration of Garrick. His 

 sensitive nature, however, unfitted him for the excitement 

 of the stage and the popularity of London. He preferred 

 the quieter life of Bath, where also he had scope for his fine 

 powers. The position now occupied by Bath in the musical 

 world may be inferred from what Rauzzini was and did. 

 For thirty years, from 1780, when he came, till 18 10, when 

 he died, he was Director of the Public Concerts — usually 

 twelve every season, besides choral nights — and gathered 

 around him such pupils as could be found nowhere except 



