This Afternoon about Four of the Clock to Regent Street, and did walk up
and down, among the fine Folk mostly, many Foreigners, and a few Street
Urchins, and others of the lower Sort, and note the Carriages stand in
Front of the Shops, and the Walking Advertisement Boys and Men, and the
Cabs and Omnibuses go by, and the Advertising Vans, and mighty fine and
droll the Monster Advertising Car of MOSES AND SON the Tailors. In the
Evening to the Queen's House in the Haymarket, to hear MOZART his famous
Opera "_Le Nozze di Figaro_" and SONTAG in _Susanna_, which she do act
mighty skittish, and with the prettiest sidelong Looks, but the most
graceful and like a Lady, and do trip the Stage the daintiest and make
the nicest Curtsies, and sing the sweetest that methinks I ever did hear
or see: and to think that MR. VIEUXBOYS should tell me she do it as well
now as he did see her twenty Years ago! Pretty, to hear her sing
"_Venite inginocchiatevi_," where she do make _Cherubino_ kneel down on
the Cushion before the _Countess_, and put him on a Girl's Cap, and pat
his Chin and Face. Also her singing of "_Sull' Aria_" with PARODI, the
_Countess_, and the mingling of their Voices very musicall. Likewise
that jolly blooming she-BACCHUS-ALBONI, _Cherubino_, with her passionate
fine singing of "_Non so piu_" and "_Voi che sapete_," did delight me
much; and she did play a stripling of a Page in Love to the very Life.
BELLETTI did mightily take me with his Knaveries, in _Figaro_, and
singing of "_Non piu andrai_," which is a most lively and martial Song;
and the Grand March very brave as well, and did make my Heart leap, and
me almost jump out of my Seat. COLLETTI, too, the _Count_, did content
me much, and to the utmost with "_Crudel! perche finora_." But then to
hear LABLACHE, what a great Thing he do make out of so small a Part as
_Bartolo_, with his Voice in the Concert-Pieces heard above all the
Rest, and thundering out "_La Vendetta_," like a musicall STENTOR; and
his undertaking of little Characters to make an Opera perfect is very
magnanimous; and MR. WAGSTAFFE do well say that he "_Ingentes Animos
ingenti in Pectore versat_," and have as much Brains as Body. Mighty
droll to hear the Quartett, with each Singer in turn holding the Voice
on the word "_Io_," called for three Times, and the Singers each Time
spinning "_Io_" out longer, whereat great Laughter; and the Performers
laughing as much as the Audience. Wonderfull how still all the House was
while SONTAG was a singing of "_Deh! vieni non tardar_," and the
_Bravas_ and Clapping of Hands when she had ended; and to hear how she
did stick to the Text, and not, like a vulgar silly _Prima Donna_,
disfigure noble Musique by ridiculous Flourishes. Home to Supper, it
being late, though, walking up the Haymarket, did sorely long for stewed
Oysters. Telling my Wife of the Opera, did speak of _Susanna_ boxing
_Figaro_ his Ears, and let out that I could have been glad to have her
box mine too, which my Wife did say she could do as well if I pleased;
but I said I had rather not, and so, whistling "_Non piu andrai_,"
rather small to Bed.
[Illustration: _BLACKWALL. SHOWYNGE YE PUBLICK A DINYNGE ON WHYTEBAIT._