MADAME MALIBRAN AND THE ANCIENT CONCERT.
WE have received from Madame MALIBRAN the following letter, explanatory of the cause of her absence from the Ancient Concert; a fact which we stated last week, and ascribed to something like caprice. From inquiries which we have since made, we know that Madame MALIBRAN'S plea of illness is but too well founded; and we therefore regret that we should have been so unfortunate as to construe her motives less favourably than a full knowledge of the circumstances would have enabled us to do. At the same time, we may be permitted to state to our much-admired correspondent, that the severity of our remarks bore upon the Directors of the Ancient Concerts—upon the system by which they have rendered themselves dependent on the performers whom they may engage. Under that system, not to be capricious, becomes a merit in the singers ; a state of affairs which we cannot avoid considering as unfortunate.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR:
Sea,--I feel that I should act with injustice to the noble Directors of the Ancient Concerts, and to those of the public who are concerned In the support of that select musical establishment, did I not express my surprise that you should take upon your. self to judge the motives of my conduct, and presume to assert that which you could by no other means be acquainted with than by a supposition, as unfounded as it is unjust. Now, Sir, allow me to state to you the fact; and whether the " head and front of my offence" exist, in being absent from the rehearsal, lin going to Bath, or in my presumed Republican education, truth and justice will, I hope, prevail on you " to offer more than a word in justification of such conduct." For several days I had been much Indisposed; and on the night preceding the Ancient Concert to which I was engaged, the Noble Earl mentioned in your paper did me the honour of calling, and was witness to the distress under which I was then labouring. He received in a very kind manner my regrets and as. surances of the impossibility of my singing there; and could therefore have neither felt surprise, nor have been unacquainted with the causes of my absence. 14 ic 1.as:raccoons 7, Iglue!, etvc Aurtlao: exciplanAtion ; for, till illness be a crime, I shall never consider that I do wrongly by yielding to the dictates of self-preservation. I appeal, Sir, to your known liberality, and to the talent displayed in the columns of your paper, not only to insert this, but to exonerate Me from charges of premeditated ingratitude, where my highest pride and happinesis would be, to oblige. I am, Sir, with respect, your obedient Servant, 27, Euston Square, June 4, 1830. M. MALIBEANs
Previous page
