er, for that young lady played an
important and not particularly creditable part in the history of the
talented singer. It is not impossible that she may have married both
Count Nugent and General Eider, for she certainly married frequently,
and in that respect holds a unique place, even in the list of
much-married prima donnas.

Madame di Murska was tall and slender in figure, of striking appearance,
and with features not specially attractive, but her vigor and
originality were remarkable. Her impersonations were full of life, and,
while she occasionally exaggerated in gesture or expression, she
invariably held the attention of her audience. She sang the most
difficult passages, and gave the most florid ornamentation, with ease
and certainty.

As Lucia, Astrofiammante, and Dinorah, she made a great sensation, even
at a time when Adelina Patti was considered to be perfection in those
parts. The writer remembers her in "Roberto" at Drury Lane, when her
impassioned acting resulted in a very funny incident. While she sang the
beautiful aria, "Robert, toi que j'aime," the object of her adoration
reposed in oblivion on a red plush sofa. In her abandon she let her face
rest for a moment on the head of the sofa, where, when she arose, there
remained a large, white patch, which aroused the audience to laughter,
in spite of themselves. Truly, the step from the sublime to the
ridiculous is very small.

Ilma di Murska made her debut at Florence, after which she sang at
Pesth, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, and London. Her memory is said to have
been remarkable, and her facility in learning equally so, for she could
learn her part by merely reading it, sometimes in bed, from the score.
In 1873 she made a tour in the United States, an account of which was
once given by Mr. de Vivo,[1] who was her manager. During this tour her
eccentricities caused her manager much anxiety, for at times when he
needed money, and, having paid large sums to her, felt confident that
she was able to furnish funds, she had always sent her earnings to her
daughter, who seems to have kept her in a chronic state of poverty. The
company travelled across this continent, and went to Australia and New
Zealand. During the Australian tour Madame di Murska became very much
interested in Alfred Anderson, a young musician belonging to the
company. He fell into bad health, and, when confined to his room by
sickness, the eccentric singer insisted upon nursing him. Soon
a