with Mrs. So and-so, and to observe things generally, so all were satisfied.
I was amused to hear ladies say, "I am not going to-night, but am going to-morrow night, when there will be a crowd," as if they went to see the crowd and not to hear the music. Those who did not care for the music were the very ones who wanted some of the scenes cut off. One day I was combing some ladies and heard them rail at the dancing in one of the scenes of Robert Le Diable. These same ladies I have frequently dressed to go with their whole families to see the Ravels. I said, "Ladies, have yon not gone yourselves and taken your whole families to see the Ravels?" They said, "Yes, but the Ravels were the Ravels, but we do not want dancing in the opera, that piece must come out, see if we don't have that part cut off." I laughed, and said to them, "I have never before heard of any one having an opera altered to suit themselves, but I will tell you one thing you can do, and ought to do, and that is, prevent little misses and masters from examining the different plots. I myself, the other day, saw some little ladies and gentlemen very busy in examining the plot of Don Juan, and I do think that is a little too far to go. I don't object to little people seeing the play and hearing the music, but I do think they should be prevented from examining such plots; that is, in my opinion, much worse than the dancing, and I do think in place of trying to raise a fuss, those who attend the opera should be perfectly satisfied with having such an elegant house as an ornament to our city and should give all praise to him through whose energy it was erected."
