ular nor
universal Favourite, as so many _habitues_, conspicuous when here by
their noble presence, are now still more conspicuous by their noble
absence. Mlle. RICHARD, her first visit to Royal Franco-Italian Opera
at Covent Garden, is the Favourite to-night, and the Favourite wins.
Opportunity for Mlle. BAUERMEISTER, who has one of the prettiest airs
in the Opera to start with, but then "is heard no more," having only
to exhibit, in sympathetic dramatic action, her deep distress at the
sufferings of the unhappy Favourite, the victim of _Alfonse_, King of
Castille. _King Alfonse_ gives a garden-party, with "gipsy revellers"
of the period, led by small and early PALLADINO. Refreshments are
probably served in an adjoining apartment, but _King Alfonse_, being,
perhaps, a trifle dry, occupies his time in the chair of state by
trifling with a lozenge. Great difficulty among audience as to whether
_Fernand_ is MONTARIOL or YBOS. Having seen MONTARIOL as _David_ in
the _Meistersingers_, I do not recognise him as Fernand; but having
seen YBOS as _Raoul_, in the _Huguenots_, FERNAND'S legs seem familiar
to me. If the voice is the voice of MONTARIOL, the legs are the legs
of YBOS. DRURIOLANUS IBOSS says it is _not_ YBOS but MONTARIOL; while
a distinguished Operatic Committeeman tells a despairing critic
that it _is_ YBOS, and not MONTARIOL. Anyhow, Mons.
YBOS-AUX-JAMBES-MONTARIOLIENNES is a good, though not great,
_Fernand_. The chorus whether as Monks of one of the great Theatrical
Orders, not-admitted-after-seven, or as members of the Castilian
Aristocracy, are admirable. Signor GASPAR--a name that suggests a
singer rather out of condition, and, like _Hamlet_, "scant of breath"
(he should be appropriately attired in "pants")--keeps his eye on
Signor BEVIGNANI, and Signor BEVIGNANI pulls him through. _Mem._ What
an education in modern languages it must require to be a chorister of
the R. I. O. C. G.! Italian, French, English, of course; and perhaps
one night they'll come out with something of WAGNER'S in the original
German. Everybody looking forward to the revival of _Le Prophete_ on
Monday next.

_Saturday._--_Non adsum_, because 'ad sum-where else to go. Covent
Garden, however, not closed in consequence. Hear that JEAN is to get
L600 per week in America. Good interest this for one tenner.

* * * * *

[Illustration: AS WORN.

"DEAR UNCLE BEN--YOU'RE ALWAYS SO KIND!--_WOULD_ YOU SIT ON MY BO