REGENTE STRETE AT FOUR OF YE CLOCKE, P.M.
Thursday, August 16, 1849.
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 più" 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 più 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! perchè 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 più andrai," rather small to Bed.
