eulogy on her favourite, Montaigne. She wrote an "Ode to Silence," "The Summer," "Fauvette," a romance, "La Foret de Brama," an opera, etc. This excellent and accomplished lady died near Bagnols, in 1802, aged fifty-six.
VIRMEIRO, COUNTESS,.
A noble Portuguese lady, obtained, in 1771, a prize proposed by the Academy at Lisbon for the best tragedy; and the laurel-crown was awarded to her. The title of her tragedy was "Osmia." On opening the sealed envelope accompanying the manuscript, there was found only a direction, in case "Osmia" should prove successful, to devote the proceeds to the cultivation of olive, a fruit from which the Portuguese might derive much advantage. It was not till ten years afterwards that the name of the modest writer was known. She died in 1773.
WAGNER, JOHANNA,.
Niece to Richard Wagner, the chapel-master at Dresden, whom Liszt has pronounced to be the greatest composer of the age. and the child of parents who had a reputation as teachers of singing, this accomplished vocalist seems to have inherited the voice and "faculty divine." As a child she was remarkable for her declamatory powers, representing on the stage the good spirits in fair spectacles and the like. At the age of fifteen she made a successful debut at the theatre of Ballenstadt as Abigal in the comic piece, "Le Verre d'Eau;" she subsequently appeared as Preciosa and Esmeralda, and as Cordelia in "King Lear," made quite a sensation. All this seemed to mark her future career as that of the tragic actress, but the daily increasing powers and compass of her voice induced her to desert the legitimate drama for the opera. After performing the part of Caterina in Halfèvy's "Reine de Chypre," she went to Paris and placed herself under the instruction of Manuel Garcia. After this she went to Dresden, and had a five years' engagement at the theatre, attaining great fame by her performance of Weber's "Agatha," Beethoven's "Fidelio," etc; but the character which she made peculiarly her own, and associated her name throughout Germany, was that of Fides in Meyerbeer's "Prophete," which she first performed at Hamburg. She afterwards sung in Vienna and Berlin with such signal success, that the Royal Intendant of the Opera House of the latter place was glad to engage her for ten years as prima donna, at a salary far exceeding that which had been before paid to any German artiste.
In April, 1861, Mademoiselle Wagner made her debut before an English audience, the character was that of Fides, the place—the Royal Italian Opera; her name had also been announced on the bills of Her Majesty's Theatre, she having, it is said, come to tins country with two engagements. Her reception was enthusiastic, her success decided, her performance justifying the praise of the eloquent critic Bellstab, of Berlin, who said. "In passion she is a Medusan, in imperious command a Juno, in pathos a Niobe."
WAKEFIELD, PRISCILLA,
An Englishwoman, well known for the useful and ingenious works
