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TOC
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composers hazard every effect that has
been tried by the Italians, yet from be-
ing ill executed, and ill understood, it
seldom makes an impression upon the
audience. And though Bravura songs,
or songs of execution, are now at-
tempted, yet they are so ill performed,
that no one used to true Italian singing
can like any thing but the words and
action.
One of the pieces which was repre-
sented to-night was new, and meant as
a comic opera, in the modern French
manner, with airs in the Italian style,
set to French words, but without reci-
tative, all the dialogue and narrative part
being spoken. This piece however was
as thoroughly d----d as ever piece was in
England. I used to imagine that a
French audience durst not hiss to the
degree I found they did upon this occa-
sion. Indeed quite as much, mixt with
horse-laughs, as ever I heard at Drury-
lane, or Covent-garden. In short, it
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