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TOC
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the theatres are immense, and, in order to
be heard through space and noise, the
actors seem in a perpetual bawl. Each
sentence, thus pronounced, is more like
the harangue of a general at the head
of an army of a hundred thousand men,
than the speech of a hero or heroine in
conversation; this allows of but few
modulations of voice; all the passions
are alike noisy, the tender and the tur-
bulent.
The scenes and decorations in this
piece were elegant and judicious: one
piece of machinery in particular was very
striking; it consisted of a high, but fertile
mountain, from which Thomyris descend-
ed with her court and guards, in order
to come to a parley with Cyrus.
The orchestra was rather weak and or-
dinary; and, in general, I found the music
in the streets here worse, and less frequent
than at Venice. However, I was saluted
soon after my arrival at the inn, as every
stranger is, with a duet, very well played
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