in modern times, perhaps in any times, of a female
composer who attains even to the eminence of a third-rate opera-writer?
Composition in letters may be of no sex. In that Madame Dudevant and
your friend Madame de Grantmesnil can beat most men; but the genius of
musical composition is homme, and accept it as a compliment when I say
that you are essentially femme."

He left me, of course, mortified and humbled; but I feel he is right as
regards myself, though whether in his depreciation of our whole sex I
cannot say. But as this hope has left me, I have become more disquieted,
still more restless. Counsel me, Eulalie; counsel, and, if possible,
comfort me. ISAURA.
FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME.

No letter from you yet, and I have left you in peace for ten days.
How do you think I have spent them? The Maestro called on us with M.
Savarin, to insist on our accompanying them on a round of the theatres.
I had not been to one since my arrival. I divined that the kind-hearted
composer had a motive in this invitation. He thought that in witnessing
the applauses bestowed on actors, and sharing in the fascination in
which theatrical illusion holds an audience, my old passion for the
stage, and with it the longing for an artiste's fame, would revive.

In my heart I wished that his expectations might be realized. Well for
me if I could once more concentrate all my aspirations on a prize within
my reach!

We went first to see a comedy greatly in vogue, and the author
thoroughly understands the French stage of our day. The acting was
excellent in its way. The next night we went to the Odeon, a romantic
melodrama in six acts, and I know not how many tableaux. I found
no fault with the acting there. I do not give you the rest of our
programme. We visited all the principal theatres, reserving the opera
and Madame S------ for the last. Before I speak of the opera, let me say
a word or two on the plays.

There is no country in which the theatre has so great a hold on the
public as in France; no country in which the successful dramatist has
so high a fame; no country perhaps in which the state of the stage
so faithfully represents the moral and intellectual condition of the
people. I say this not, of course, from my experience of countries which
I have not visited, but from all I hear of the stage in Germany and in
England.

The impression left on my mind by the performances I witnessed is, that
the French peopl