In every family the young ladies play and sing; but of tact, style, arrangement, time, etc., the innocent creatures have not the remotest idea, so that the easiest and most taking melodies are often not recognisable.

The sacred music is a shade better, although even the arrangements of the Imperial Chapel itself are susceptible of many improvements.

The military bands are certainly the best, and these are generally composed of negroes and mulattoes.
The exterior of the Opera-house does not promise anything very beautiful or astonishing, and the stranger is, consequently, much surprised to find, on entering, a large and magnificent house with a deep stage.

I should say it could contain more than 2,000 persons.
There are four tiers of spacious boxes rising one above the other, the balustrades of which, formed of delicately-wrought iron trellis- work, give the theatre a very tasty appearance.

The pit is only for men.