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diminished our risky trading. I remained five years at Marseilles, only visiting London now and again for a day or two at a time, for our business was not one which could be left any length of time without the eye of the master overlooking it. In the sixth year of my sojourn there, Single admitted as partner in the concern a gentleman who brought to the concern no less than £10,000. Previous to drawing up a fresh deed of partnership, we had a clear balance-sheet drawn out, and in addition to an average of £3400 per annum which Single and myself had been dividing between us every twelvemonth for the last four years, there remained a positive capital of £28,000 in hard cash, which was the capital of our firm, and which, if by mutual consent we dissolved partnership, would have to be divided between us. This I consider pretty well for a man who so short a time before had not a penny-piece of his own. We have long ago established a fourth branch of our firm at New York, and are now on the look-out for a partner to set up a fifth branch at Buenos Ayres. Any gentleman who can command from £5000 to £10,000, who has a fair knowledge of commercial matters, and is willing to obey in all matters the orders of our chief, Single, has only to apply through the editor of the BROADWAY. I shall most probably not retire from work for some years yet, for I find that the more money I gain the more I want; and I believe that, take it all in all, there is nothing like business for a man who wishes to combine profit with pleasure, more particularly if he can get into a firm which is ruled by such a long-headed fellow as Single, of whom I may safely say that he has quite given up the practice of writing the "wrong man's name across bills of exchange.

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THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND THE OLD BOWERY THEATRE.

New York Theatres.

BY MOLYNEUX ST. JOHN.

PART III.

So numerous are those places in New York that properly come within the category of theatres, that a detailed description of each would both weary and confuse the reader; and therefore to avoid the repetition that it would necessitate, those houses which are without any distinctive features of their own, or are closely allied to music halls, etc., will be omitted from this paper. There are three, however, not heretofore spoken of, that are perhaps more interesting than any others to general readers, and which shall be here mentioned. These are, the Academy of Music, the Bowery Theatre, and the German Stadt Theatre. Each has its local and architectural differences, but it is the social diversity of their respective patrons from which they derive their peculiar interest. The present Academy of Music is a new theatre built on the ruins of the former house, which was burnt down in May, 1866. That was the opera-house of New York, the arena in which the European fame of our great artistes was wont to be tested by American judges; the artistic font of Bosio, Patti, Kellogg, and other singers from the West, and the ball-room of the Prince of Wales when he visited this city in 1860. The new house is very perfectly constructed and arranged, and though lacking the grandeur and magnificence of Covent Garden, or the more gentle beauty of (the late) Her Majesty's, ere the amber of its season decoration was exchanged for the dull coarse red of winter-it has advantages of its own not possessed by either of these English houses. In the first place the vast majority of the boxes are only separated from one another by a low partition, so that their occupants can see all around and about them, while in the eighteen proscenium boxes, which more nearly resemble those of Covent Garden, the front of the box is built out, enabling those in it to see and be seen. Not only the private boxes, but every seat in the house, commands a view of the stage, and not a portion of it only; every chair and scat is readily accessible, and two dollars buys a choice of stalls.

In the matter of operatic performances, the Academy of Music is at a considerable disadvantage. America, like England, produces

comparatively few first-rate singers, and those who form exceptions to the rule, leave home to seek an European reputation as soon as their friends deem their talents sufficiently developed. Witness Bosio, the two Pattis, Laura Harris, Miss Kellogg, and others, who will probably not return to America until their powers are weakened by time and usage. On the other hand, singers abound in Europe, and vigorously jostle one another on the rugged roads to London or Paris, which all consider the goal to be reached, though few, scarce any, will be content with Western fame. Added to this, a singer's horror of the sea surpasses that of all other known creatures, and not without reason, for sea-sickness frequently destroys the voice, where the person attacked continues to suffer long. There are many that look upon England as a land beyond the sea, necessary to be got at, but adding much to its distance by its dreadful channel; and some who positively refuse to cross to Dublin, because the " race " of Holyhead has the name of being rough and disagreeable. These very strongly object to America at all, and those who, having made a name in Europe, are sought by American managers, ask prices for their services which would entail almost certain loss on any theatre in the States. Hence to maintain an operatic company in New York, worthy of the theatre and the people who support it, unflagging zeal, liberal ideas, and å good judgment are absolutely essential. Hitherto under the management of Mr. Maretzek, and the zealous care of Mr. Kingsland, the Academy of Music has provided the best operas and singers that could be got; but there is a formidable rival now starting in the shape of Pike's Opera-House, a beautiful theatre built on one of the fashionable residential streets, but, at the time this is written, not yet opened. Of the principal singers who have commenced this season at the Academy, two only are generally known in England: RonconiRonconi the great--and Parepa; though one of the tenors, Baraghli, it may be remembered, sang twice at Her Majesty's Theatre in "Lucia de Lammermoor." The rival operatic company has at its head Madame de La Grange and Signor Brignoli. The latter, who is the favourite tenor in America, sang at Covent Garden, two seasons ago, with fair success. The lady, who is one of the finest artistes on the lyric stage, has not, to the best of the writer's belief, ever sung in England, but has given the best years of her life to the service of the American public, and still retains considerable hold on their affection. The paucity of great artists in America is of course due to the country's geographical position, and perhaps in some measure to

the newness of American institutions; but be the cause what it may, the effect referred to will shortly change. That which money can buy, and taste appreciate, must find its way to New York. European travel is almost a part of an American gentleman's education, and it has created a power of appreciation, and a cultivated taste in matters of art, which has communicated itself to others and leavened the population of American cities. They are desirous of having, they have the means to pay for, and they will have, the best of everything the world produces. More might be said on this subject, interesting even to the artists themselves, but that for the moment want of space forbids. The appearance of an audience at the Academy of Music is dissimilar to one at an English opera-house, as the ladies of New York, with some exceptions, usually wear bonnets and high dresses at the operaspecial garments for the occasion, be it understood-and this, to an English eye, rather disturbs the harmony of the scene, but the custom is a better one than ours for the town in which it is practised. "After the theatre" in New York, numbers of people walk home, some go to one or other of the first-class restaurants in the neighbourhood, and others get into the cars and stages which put them down within a few yards of their houses. The few hire hackney carriages or use their own. This could not of course be done in great straggling London, but as New York grows only in length, not breadth, and as the principal residential streets are off Broadway, or one of the immediate avenues, the matter is easy and convenient. The writer one evening counted eighteen stages (omnibuses) halted at the doors of the Olympic Theatre waiting for the exodus.

The Academy of Music is the resort of the wealthy, the fashionable, and those possessed of a quasi rank, an implied superiority, before which e'en "shoddy" bows, and "Ile " pays silent homage.

Far different is the Old Bowery and its frequenters. The Old Bowery-in contradistinction to the New Bowery-a theatre not now in existence-occupies a position in New York as nearly akin to that of the Victoria in London as the national and topographical differences of the two places permit. The Bowery has a veritable and unmistakable pit and gallery, with all the attributes of those places in a Dublin theatre, supplemented by the presence of the lower order of Americans, and a fair sprinkling of self-styled "coloured gentlemen" in the upper gallery. Pea-nuts, apples, and other refreshments, are freely partaken of all over the theatre, and the pleasure or disapprobation of the audience at anything on or off the

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