otably more than one has done, may not
little Masters exhibit the results of their profound studies in the
schools of popular Composers? Surely they may; and was I not pleased
with Mr. DE KOOEN (whose name seems to suggest "the voice of the
turtle,"--the dove, not the soup) when his prelude to the Third Act
distinctly recalled to my attentive mind the celebrated unison effect
in _L'Africaine_, only without the marvellous jump, which, when first
heard, thrilled the audience, and compelled an enthusiastic encore?
Then Miss VIOLET CAMERON sang a song about the bells, with a chorus
not in the least like that in _Les Cloches de Corneville_ you
understand, because the latter, I think, is performed without the
bells sounding, but in this there is a musical peal which intensifies
the distinction between the two. This "number" was encored heartily,
nay, I think it was demanded three times, and came just at the right
moment to freshen up the entertainment. In the previous Act Miss
ATTALIE CLAIRE had had a good song which had also obtained an encore,
thoroughly well deserved as far as her singing was concerned.

I forget what Mr. COFFIN had to sing, but, whatever it was, he did it
more than justice, as did also the _basso profondo_, whose efforts
in producing his voice from, apparently, his boots, were crowned with
remarkable success.

The _Friar Tuck_ here is a kind of good old-fashioned burlesque Friar,
more like that one some years ago at the Gaiety, in _Little Robin
Hood_ than the Friar in _Ivanhoe_. But I should say that this Friar
would be uncommonly thankful to have got anything like the song that
Sir ARTHUR has given _his_ Friar over the way, or something even
as good as Mr. DALLAS had to sing, years ago, in REECE's Gaiety
Burlesque. However, perhaps it was not intended for a singing part,
and perhaps the actor who plays it is not a professional singer. We're
not all of us born with silver notes in our chests.

I see that Mr. HORACE SEDGER announces the drama in action, entitled
_L'Enfant Prodigue_, which recently made such a hit in Paris. Wonder
how it will go here. Not knowing, can't prophesy.

PRIVATE BOX.

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

The Baron thanks Sir HENRY THOMPSON for his _Food and Feeding_, which
(published by WARNE & Co., a suggestive name) has reached its sixth
edition. It is, indeed, an entertaining work, and a work that all
honest entertainers should carefully study