The letter which the maestro sent to Signor Marchesi, after hearing the contralto, I am able to quote:—
Translation.
LONDON, July 17, 1864.
To Signor S. de C. Marchesi, Professor at the Conservatoire of Music, Cologne.
MOST ESTEEMED SIGNOR MARCHESI,—Miss Sterling, whom I have already heard several times, possesses a beautiful voice, but she is still a beginner. In every way I will do what little I can to continue the very excellent direction given to the studies of the young lady by your wife, to whom I beg you to present my most distinguished salutations. Pray accept the same yourself from your sincere friend,
MANUEL GARCIA.
I am very grateful for the recommendation. Farewell.
Antoinette Sterling ever regarded Señor Garcia with the greatest affection and esteem, and used to delight in recalling the following memories of the days when she had studied with him. I have set them down before in the little memoir of her career already published.
When Miss Sterling, as she then was, went to the maestro for lessons, he was so carried away with the voice of his new pupil that he could not bring himself to keep her to exercises, as was his custom in the case of others. Almost at once he began taking her through all the Italian operatic rôles. One day she was struggling to execute a particularly difficult phrase, and at last burst out crying, "You ought not to give me these songs until I have mastered the exercises properly." "You're quite right," he answered, and took her back to the exercises once more.