The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-29 00:00:00

great Imperial Opera of Prague, associated with so many
glorious memories of music, and which would be immor-
talised by the lict alone of having been the state where
the Clemenza di Tito and the Marriage of Figaro were
first produced by Mozart. The favourite prima donna
of this noble theatre was suddenly taken ill, and so se-
riously, that there was little hope left of her re-appear-
ing tor some time. The manager, in despair, and at a
loss which way to turn, could think of no other resource
to retain his audiences than the appearance of the young
prodigy of the Conservatoire—little Heuriette Sontag.
Such was her proficiency in her art, that her parents no
longer saw the same danger in allowing their offspring
to tread the fictive scene.
" It nothing were wanting in courage, natural gifts of
voice, and intellectual power, on the part of the child
as regards the height of her person there was a manca-
mento of several inches. As the French proverb says,
le temps corrige cela but, in the mean time, the stage-
manager, a learned Hellenist, was not oblivious of the
means by which the Greeks gave altitudes to their scenic
heroes and heroines, and the little prima donna, to whom
was assigned for her debut the part of the heroine in a
translation of the favourite French opera, Jean de Paris,
was supplied with enormous cork heels. There was a
time, at the Court of Louis XV., when an inch and a
half of red heel was the distinctive characteristic of a
Marquis, or of a lady of sufficient quality to be allowed
to sit in the presence of royalty. On the occasion of
the debut of Henriette Sontag, four inches of vermillion
coloured cork foreshadowed the rank of the little lady,
destined to become one of the most absolute mimic
queens of the lyrical world, and afterwards a real and
much respected countess. When the singer who enacted
the pompous seneschal in the opera of Jean de Paris
came forward, and announced, It is no less a personage
than the Princess of Navarre whose arrival I announce!'
the applause and laughter were universal. When the
little prodigy appeared on her cork pedestal, the house
was filled with cheers and acclamations. As the busi-
ness of the stage proceeded, the auditors found that
there was no longer any indulgence necessary on the
score of age, but that there were claims on their admi-
ration for a voice which, for its purity, its peculiar flute-
like tone, and its agility, has never been surpass. The
celebrated tenor, Gerstener, who enacted Jean de Paris,
that night sang better than ever, finding that he had to
cope with the attraction of a new melodic power. Many
nights successively did she thus sing the Princess of
Navarre with increasing success to crowded houses. Her
next part was one far more difficult—that of the heroine
in Paer's fine opera, Sargin.
" The capital of Bohemia was not destined long to
retain its chief ornament. Long before the conclusion
of the season, the Imperial Court had heard of her ex •
traordinary success, and Henriette Sontag was sum-
moned to Vienna, where she appeared, the very next
season, at the German Opera."
From this time her career was one series of triumphs
—Berlin, Paris, London, St. Petersburgh in turn
hailed her as the greatest of living artists ; and on her
marriage with Count Rossi, a young Sardinian
nobleman, and her consequent retirement from the
stage, the dilettanti of Europe were inconsolable, as
they felt they " ne'er should look upon her like again."
Count Rossi became the representative of his Sove-
reign at the Courts of the Netherlands, St. Peters-
burgh, Vienna, and Berlin successively, and the
Countess of Rossi was the admired and the beloved
of all.
" But at last came the fatal year 1848, when a politic
cal eruption, unprecedented for magnitude and extent,
fell upon the whole fabric of human happiness on the '
Continent, as unforeseen and as destructive as the vol•
canic outburst which, in a past age, buried Pompeii.
Madame de Rossi's fortune, when the revolution broke
out at Berlin, was placed partly with bankers, partly
in commercial securities; commerce ceased, public credit
was shaken, and private credit lost, and with the latter
the fortune of Madame de Rossi. Shortly afterwards
followed the events in Sardinia, in its turn deeply affect-
ing the fortunes of her husband, and threatening the
Count Rossi with the loss of that office which he had so
long and so honourably held. On the first news of the
losses experienced by Madame de Rossi, knowing bow
perfectly she had preserved her voice, the Direction of
Her Majesty's Theatre made, in the most delicate man-
ner that could be devised, ample offers to the unfortu-
nate lady, iu case she should deem it necessary to return
to the scene of her former triumphs. The Count and
Countess Rossi did not contemplate then the necessity
of so great a sacrifice. Later offers of unlimited temp-
tation were made by other parties, and emissaries sent
to Berlin secretly to treat with the great vocalist of the
golden age of the opera. But they were at once refused.
As events assumed a darker complexion, Madame de
Rossi, the most affectionate of mothers, grew more and
more anxious for her children, and used every endea-
vour to prevail on her noble husband to sacrifice the
privileges and prejudices of rank, and the sweets of high
office, to the future welfare of their children. An ar-
tist of European fame, who not only. commands admi-
ration by his talents, his conversational powers, hie
elegant and amiable manners, and his noble and
elevated character—M. Thalberg, happened some months
since to be in Berlin, and he is said to have seconded
Madame de Rossi's efforts to persuade her husband.
Communications were resumed with the Direction of Her
Majesty's Theatre, although still in a problematical and
conditional form, and the Count Rossi repaired to Turin
to endeavour to release himself from his duties. After
some delay, the Count obtained permission from his
Sovereign to retire for a time from his career. When it
was known later at Turin what was the cause of his re-
tirement, and that it was definitive, letters were written,
by order of the Sovereign, in the highest degree cordial
and flattering, both to M. and Madame de Rossi. From
Turin the Count returned to Berlin; there Mr. Lumley
had suddenly arrived—every arrangement was made,
and a week after be had left Berlin, the Count and
Countess Rossi arrived in London in a manner totally
untOreseen. In a week more she appeared on the stage,
and although, unlike other great singers, she bad not,
owing to the necessity of secrecy, been preceded by
those announcements which habitually long beforehand
herald forth a prima donna, and work upon public ex-
pectation, her reception was one never surpassed in
enthusiasm.
" When the circumstances in which Madame Sontag
has once more appeared on the horizon with undimi-
nished glory are considered4a feeling of something more
than admiration takes possession of the observer. To
behold beings, of which there are not one in so many
millions, whose existence has scarcely been thought ot,
come in a critical hour, interpose their power, uphold
a noble establishment, and at once defeat all the work-
ings of intrigue, envy, and ingratitude, partakes of that
providential character of events to which all others are
secondary. This is the second time that such an inter-
position has occurred as regards the greatest theatrical
institution of the country. If there existed in reality
such a random power as chance, such events could scarcely
be reckoned amongst its casualties.
" If there could be any one so devoid of love for what
is really good and really great, as not to be inspired by
interest in the eventful life we have so very superficially
sketched, they need only to repair to the theatre where
our heroine appears, for them to change their disposi-
tion. Nothing ever could resist, off the stage or on it,
the sterling merit either of Countess Rossi, or of Madame
Sontag."

CO Lilt f CIRCULAR.

BALMORAL, Aua. 26.

This morning her Majesty tlal the Prince, attended
by Viscountess Jocelyn, Hon. Miss Dawson, Lord John
Russell, Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon, Mr. An-
son, and Mr. Birch, attended Divine service at the parish
church at Crathie.
Service was performed by the,Rev. Mr. Anderson.

ROYAL GARDENS, VAUXHALL.
Monday was the commencement of a new season
at Vauxhall. After so successful an opening, and an
attendance so aristocratic, the startling announce-
ment of the reduction of price to one shilling seemed
to us to require some notice.
On entering the gardens, we turned into the beau-
tiful Italian walk, which is now hung above with
festoons of coloured lamps, forming an arcade of light
at once brilliant and imposing. The lighting alto-
gether is vastly improved, and announces at once
increased spirit in the establishment. In the circus
we found a new troupe, and were astonished by the
daring and novelty of their extraordinary feats, which
threw their French predecessors far into the shade.
An Arab, who is announced as the most extraordinary
vaulter in the world, fully sustained his reputation by
a series of summersaults and leaps, which were almost
frightful, clearing at a bound eighteen men with up-
lifted swords. 'lhe most.wonderful thing in his feats
is that he uses no spring-board, but leaps from a
solid block of stone on the ground. The riding of
Hernandez, matchless,. graceful, rapid, unique and
sufficient in itself as it is, received a very interesting
addition in a group of two, who rode in almost every
possible and classic posture, the boy actually stand-
ing on the shoulder of the horseman whilst galloping
round the circle. Standing on a series of bottles,
one above another, and at
.the same time ballancing a
variety of things, vas trick so. strange and difficult,
and performed so adroitly, that it is utterly impossible
to describe it. The rolling globe was admirably per-
formed by a boy, who, not only walked on it, but at
the same time executed a set of juggling and ba-
lancing tricks,
as well as if he were on the surest
footing. But not the least astonishing was the per-
formance of the clown and his son. The boy stood
on his head, and in that position was balanced on the
hand, and after being tossed about, tumbling in the
air like a ball, concluded his performance by standing
on his head on the end of a pole, balanced on the chin
of the clown, and carried about the circus.
The whole performance was of surpassing excel-
lence, and we are proud, in saying so, that we are at
the same time bearing our testimony to genuine
merit, and our applause to native talent, which of
late it has been too much the fashion to overlook.

DEATH OF COOMBES, THE PRIZE WATERMAN.—
Yesterday morning, David Coombes, who, with his
brothers, are well known as the first watermen on the
River Thames, was engaged in preparing the platform at
Chandler's, Milbank, for the approaching contest for the
silver sculls. About eight o'clock ho retired home to
breakfast, when he was seized with violent pains in his
stomach. Medical aid was instantly resorted to, and
every attention paid to his sufferings, but he died of
cholera yesterday afternoon. The deceased was 35
years of age, without family, and, with his three brothers,
had been he successful competitor for many hard-
earned prizes. Lie was a man much respected by all
who knew him.
As gold which he cannot spend will make no man
L rich, so knowledge which he cannot apply will make no
CooA's Journe.