The public had for some time greatly desired to have a new singer at the Italian Opera, so Taylor offered Mrs. Billington an engagement, which she accepted. Her brother, Charles Weichsel, was engaged as leader of the orchestra, to the exclusion of Salomon. The patrons of the Opera were enchanted with Mrs. Billington. Her popularity was unbounded as long as she chose to remain at the Opera-house. Viganoni was generally the tenor with whom she sang.

In 1803, Mr. Taylor sold to Mr. Francis Goold one-third of his property in the Opera, for which he received 13,3351. Mr. Goold was a native of Ireland, and a man of family and fortune, well known in fashionable circles. His brother, an Irish baronet, possessed large estates. On his arrival in England, Mr. Goold instituted the Union Club, at the house in Pall Mall formerly occupied by the Duke of Cumberland. He had passed the greater part of his life on the Continent, and was an excellent

critic, and a clever amateur in the arts, and had a clear knowledge of the practical details necessary for the working of a large theatre. He was perfectly adapted for the management of an extensive theatre, especially as he understood music; and he was, moreover, a truly honourable, kindly man, his only fault, as a manager, being that he was too keenly sensitive. From the day he undertook the direction of the Opera until the day of his death, Michael Kelly was his stage-manager, confidential friend, and chief adviser.

The agreement between Taylor and Goold assigned the entire management of the theatre, during their joint lives, to the latter, and vested it in the survivor on the decease of either of them,

Mr. Goold engaged the celebrated Madame Grassini to sing alternately with Mrs. Billington. The attractions of these two exquisite singers drew crowded houses. Viganoni and Braham were the male singers. D'Egville was ballet-master and chief dancer, with the graceful and handsome' Malle. Deshayes.

A further purchase was made in 1804 by Goold, from Taylor, increasing his entire share in the theatre to seven-sixteenths, the price of this further share being 4,1651. At this time Taylor had become so embarrassed that he was compelled to mortgage his remaining ninesixths to Goold for 5,7001.

On the 15th of June, 1805, occurred the memorable riot at the Opera-house,

which was caused by an ill-advised order from the Bishop of London that the curtain should be dropped before twelve o'clock every Saturday night, or the house should be deprived of its license and shut up. The curtain fell just as Mdlle. Deshayes and Parisot, two very much admired performers, were dancing a popular pas de deux. The anger of the audience passed all limits, and the scene which ensued defies description. Finding that their mandate for drawing up the curtain and finishing the ballet was not obeyed, the gentlemen and ladies screamed, hooted, yelled, threw all the chairs out of the boxes into the pit, tore up the benches, broke the chandeliers, jumped into the orchestra, and smashed all the instruments of the unlucky musicians. Kelly, as stage-manager, addressed the rioters, but they would not listen to him, and eventually quitted the theatre with shouts of victory. Mr. Goold, however, identified some of the ringleaders, and commenced actions against many of them for daImages, which cost them hundreds of pounds; but he discontinued legal proceedings, on condition of the offenders acknowledging their ill-behaviour, and satisfying those who had been injured.

Early in 1806, Goold offered Madame Catalani an engagement. Never did singer create such excessive wonder as Catalani. Siboni was the tenor engaged with her. For many years she reigned alone at the Opera, for she could endure no rival near her throne. Siboni was succeeded by Tramezzani, an infinitely superior singer, who was much admired. Shortly before Madame Catalani appeared for the first time, Goold engaged the celebrated buffo singer, Naldi. Morelli, who no longer attracted, was dismissed. The poor fellow, from an inordinate passion which he had for insuring in the lottery, was steeped in poverty, and Naldi was generous enough to supply him with every necessary for life, and allowed him, till the day of his death, a weekly stipend of two guineas, which was regularly transmitted to the ex-buffo every Saturday night. Naldi had been a lawyer, and was a very well-educated man. Morelli had been simply running footman to Lord Cowper. The termination of Naldi's life was very sudden and awful.

Goold died in 1807, and Taylor became sole proprietor. From the time of his first purchase to his death, which was hastened by the trouble and anxiety incident on his connexion with the theatre, Mr. Goold alone had con

ducted the Opera. Catalani was the great attraction of his management, and her successive engagements entailed on the establishment an expense exceeding any that had ever fallen to the lot of Opera director before. The sums which Madame Catalani received were almost incredible. She used to say that in Italy she sang for fame, in France for charity, and in England for money.

Scarcely was Mr. Goold dead, than disputes commenced between Mr. Waters, his acting executor, and Mr. Taylor, which involved the Opera in litigation, almost interminable. Taylor, on whom the management devolved, was disinclined to submit to the authority which Mr. Waters wanted to exercise in the theatre as Mr. Goold's executor. Kelly continued to be stagemanager, but was displaced the following year (1808) by D'Egville, who had been ballet-master. Every day the feeling of bitterness increased between Waters and Taylor. In 1808, Waters advertised that he would not be responsible, as Goold's executor, for any debts contracted by Taylor.

Madame Catalani and Tramezzani were the leading favourites for several years.

Finding that the Opera was become so expensive an amusement, especially since Catalani's engagement, Taylor was obliged to try every expedient to raise money. He very foolishly, in 1812, attempted a daring experiment, in advancing the terms of the subscription to the highest rate possible, and caused intense ire among his patrons. The subscribers met, and decided that the increase of price was not justified by the expenditure, and sent notice to that effect to Taylor. He replied, that if the subscribers would not agree to his increased demand, he would shut up his boxes; and, indeed, he refused several noblemen and gentlemen admission into the boxes for which they had already paid. In consequence of this behaviour on Taylor's part, many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre, and persuaded Caldas, a Portugese wine merchant, to reopen the Pantheon, for the performance of concerts, burlettas, and such music as could be given without infringing the licence of the King's Theatre. The company engaged by Caldas was very indifferent. Spagnoletto led the band. At first this opposition to the King's Theatre prosperedso long as the ire of the nobility and gentry against Taylor lasted--but after a time it languished, and a compromise

was effected with Taylor, although he persisted in keeping up the prices of his boxes, and in excluding those who would not agree to his exorbitant demand. As for Caldas, he was deserted, and left to ruin. Taylor lost six thousand pounds by the quarrel. He was perpetually embroiled in lawsuits; but he rather liked being plunged in disputes and difficulties, as he happened to be of a fiercely litigious disposition, and as obstinate as man could be. One day he was dining with Mrs. Billington, when a gentleman, in the course of conversation, said to him, 'You must be dreadfully harassed, Mr. Taylor, by the frequent lawsuits you are engaged in.' Oh no,' replied he, not in the least: I own that they plagued me a little at first, but, from habit, I could not now exist without them!'

In 1813, the Lord Chancellor ordered that the whole of Goold's property should be sold, and that Waters should not interfere in the management.

At this time, Waters was proceeding against Taylor in Chancery; and it was ultimately ordered that the painful disputes should be ended in a summary fashion, and the house sold. The latter order was very vexatious to the public, so it was proposed by private friends that Taylor should relinquish his interest in the theatre to Waters; but it was almost impossible to come to any arrangement whereby this might be satisfactorily settled, as the two men were totally antagonistic in manners, habits, and characters. Waters was a perfectly well-bred, quiet man. Taylor was in every respect his opposite. Waters would not for any consideration attend to affairs on Sunday: Taylor, chiefly on account of his fear of duns and writs, selected that day in preference to any other. Taylor could not see Waters without becoming 'passionate and scurrilous.' However, as Taylor was perfectly embarrassed, and unable to carry on the theatre for want of money, he was obliged to give way to some extent. Waters desired to have the entire management confided to himself. It was proposed, therefore, that the management should be intrusted to him, under certain restrictions. Ebers was constantly going to and fro between Waters' house and the King's Bench, where Taylor resided; and at length he persuaded Taylor to agree to an arrangement. Taylor had seriously contemplated the possibility of turning the Pantheon into an Opera-house, and had absolutely entered into a treaty with Mr. Cundy, lessee of the Pantheon. Difficulties, however,

had arisen between them as to terms, and the creditors of Caldas had such claims upon the house, that he was deterred from following his intention.

When Waters' people attempted to gain admission to the King's Theatrewhen an amicable arrangement had been entered into by the principal parties,Taylor's people sternly refused to let them enter. From words the rival retainers came to blows, which ended by the Taylor party being ejected with ignominy. During the night, however, the Taylor party again renewed the contest, stormed the theatre, effected a breach in the stage door, gained admission to the stage, and drove the enemy into the Haymarket. The Chancellor was again appealed to, and Waters obtained an order from the Court, by virtue of which he established himself securely in his newly-acquired domain.

Taylor apparently ended his days in prison, occasionally availing himself of the privilege granted by the rules. His favourite companions in prison were Sir John and Lady Ladd. They used to enjoy agreeable evenings together, and when Taylor's spirits would grow too much elated from the combined effects of good wine and lively conversation, Lady Ladd would recall him to the minor proprieties of life by emptying the teakettle over him.

Waters, as proprietor, advertised that the Opera would not open until a manager was appointed by the Lord Chancellor. Early the next year (1814), however, he announced that he was legally appointed sole manager; and the house was opened as soon as possible. Madame. Sessi was the principal performer.

Rossini then engrossed the stage. No operas by any other master (with the exception of Mozart's works) were now to be tolerated. From the withdrawal of Catalani, in 1813, the Opera gradually declined, and fell at last into such a state of degradation as to cease to be fashionable, and to be nearly deserted.

Mr. Waters' first season (1814) was happily a prosperous one, for the peace had just been concluded, and London was thronged with foreigners. He gained seven thousand pounds during that year. 1815 was a blank in operatic history; so wretchedly bad were all the male performers that even their names cannot be remembered. The first woman (Sessi), was the only one who redeemed the credit of the house.

In 1816, by direction of the Chancellor, the theatre was again put up for sale, and was purchased by Waters for