1848-49 JENNY LIND IN 'SONNAMBULA' 339 



quieter old Lord Lansdowne, and our new Arch- 

 bishop, and soon after the Bishop of Oxford, who 

 was full of the lecture, &c, and so with the company 

 and the artists and the pictures. Sat down very 

 happily between old Turner and a Mr. Young, 

 with J. H. Green and Edwin Landseer opposite, 

 and old Pick. [Pickersgill] not far off, and a very 

 chatty, pleasant dinner, good speeches, and capital 

 singing by a small band of choice professionals, 

 after dinner. The Duke as characteristically sen- 

 tentious and stentorious as ever. Charley Stokes, 

 who was there, left early, and as he passed slipped 

 a ticket into my hand, saying, " Now if you want 

 to end with a thorough holiday you may wind 

 up with this." I glanced at the words Pit, 

 Opera, &c, and did not tarry long after. Old 

 Guizot and Lord Mahon left at the same time. 

 Walked into Fop's Alley, where I found two 

 acquaintances who made a good place for me, and 

 saw the house was regularly crammed. Her 

 Majesty and the Duchess of Kent occupying 

 opposite corners, or ends, of the Royal box ; a 

 chorus chanting on the stage. " What's going 

 on?" I asked. " Jenny Lind ! The last night of 

 ' Sonnambula ! ' Don't you know ? " Soon did. 

 The last two scenes — and such scenes ! The Un- 

 surpassed surpassing herself. Her Majesty would 

 have the beautiful flower scene repeated, where 

 Jenny in her sleep brings the withered posy 



which she has kept, a love relic, and fondles it. 



z 2 



