[Original Size]
The juvenile personages above enumerated are represented as they appeared in the Hampstead Road, when, on a late occasion, they honoured the performance of the young Italian instrumentalist, Carlo Denticci, with their presence. So deeply were their infant minds absorbed in the harmonious entertainment, that mute attention, during its continuance, rested, almost without interruption, on their lips; a situation where it does not usually love to dwell. Miss Moody was occasionally heard to address a few words, or rather syllables, but only a few, to her infant sister; and even Master Dummer, to whom the attire and personal appearance of the tuneful stranger seemed almost as interesting as his art, once only murmured, in an under tone, as he contemplated his hat, "My eye, what a rummy tile!"
The performance, which occupied upwards of half an hour, included several of the airs most fashionable at the Mobility's concerts. The well-known gem from "Jack Sheppard" was productive of its customary effect; even the younger of the Misses Moody was seen to beat time, unequivocally, to the air. The ever new American melodies elicited smiles of universal approbation; and the little party appeared to be much delighted with the Caledonian March, "The Campbells are coming," although they had previously had the advantage of hearing this piece performed on a somewhat perhaps more appropriate instrument. But what made amusement bliss and converted interest into ecstacy,—what opened not the ears only, but also the mouth of Master George Dummer, and lighted the glow-worm fire of enthusiasm in the eyes of Miss Ann Grigg, was the beautiful, the mellifluous, the voluptuous "Cachucha." Oh! had they heard it in a brighter scene, where Rank and Fashion melt at Music's breath, where mingled sighs and perfumes load the air;—that atmosphere of Love and rose-water;—in short, at Her Majesty's Theatre; and had they there seen the graceful Fanny! But whither are we borne away? No! Such rapture—almost too intense for the ethereal spirits of the Children of the Nobility,—could not have been felt by them.
During the piece of music last-mentioned, a Terpsichorean impulse seized on a small boy, who was standing at some little distance from our group. Cracking a couple of bits of slate together in imitation of castanets, he went through a succession of eccentric movements which we should imagine must have really been what is termed the Sailor's Hornpipe. This exhibition appeared greatly to divert the surrounding Mobility, who are much better judges, it would seem, of the humour, than they are of the poetry, of motion; and whose bosoms would not be very likely to heave the sigh, even at the pathos of Taglioni.
Miss Moody appeared without a head-dress; as most of the Children of the Mobility are seen at their Promenade Concerts. In this place may be noticed the social soirées which take place annually about the end of December among the inferior circles, and which are principally sustained by juvenile performers. We mean those Concerts D'Hiver commonly known as Christmas Carols.
The Misses Grigg were in bonnets, from which circumstance, and from that of Miss Sarah Grigg carrying a basket—would we could say reticule!—on her arm, and displaying in her small hand what seemed to be a street-door key, it was conjectured that they had been shopping.
The presence of Master Dummer at the performance was occasioned by his being en route to the Academy, at which he is a diurnal student. The interruption of his progress to the Seminary may be attributed rather to a disinclination for arithmetic than to a love of harmony; his genius, we understand, being more of an observant and contemplative, than of a mathematical or literary tendency, and music being interesting to him, merely, to use a common expression, as "something going on." His steps, when directed towards the abode of learning, are not remarkable, generally, for rapidity; and are very apt to be arrested by a variety of little occurrences; in short, he has a strong natural inclination for the philosophical amusement improperly termed lounging. The remark which he was heard to make with reference to a peculiarity in Denticci's dress, may be considered as an example of his reflective turn. This, too, is very decidedly observable in the expression of his eye, whose appearance is the more striking for the contrast which it presents to that of his cheek,—a part in which he strongly resembles the young gentleman alluded to in "As You Like It," who is represented.
Indeed, if for satchel, we read slate, we shall find Master Dummer, taken altogether, to be no bad representative of the second of Man's "Seven Ages,"—viewing Man as he exists in the Mobility. His slate may be said, in one sense, though not perhaps in that which his preceptor would approve of, to be his amusement, being usually covered with hieroglyphics rather than figures, and exhibiting much stronger indications of a predilection for "Tit-tat-to," than of proficiency in the Rule of Three.
...............With his satchel,
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.
The young Denticci, who had the honour of entertaining our philharmonic group, perhaps it would be more in keeping to say, batch, of plebeian minors, is the child of a foreign Mobility. To us, however, he is an object of greater interest as a Child of Song, and as exciting in our breast all those deep and delightful associations with which all that ends in "icci" and "ini", is so intimately and powerfully connected.