THE ANCIENT CONCERTS.
THE "decline and fall" goes on. The Directors have published a foolish manifesto, in which they talk about "injurious reports," &c. which they beg "officially to contradict," and to affirm that it is their royal and noble will and pleasure that these concerts do continue. They may—for their own pleasure, but not for that of the public, who have ceased to care any thing about them. One symptom of decline, is the very cavalier way in which these royal and noble Directors suffer themselves to be bearded by fo- reign managers and singers. But a few weeks since, M.LAPORTE desired them to change the hour of their rehearsal. The Directors tamely submitted. On Wednesday last, MALIBRAN and Dos:- ZELLI were to have sung. They were absent, contrary to all rule and precedent, from the rehearsal. Lord DARNLEY blustered a little, but it was agreed to pass the offence over in silence, and to affect to think it was an unintentional lapse. But on Wednes- day morning, the Signor and Signora, without any previous inti- mation to the noble Earl or his colleagues, went off to Bath. We have not a word to offer in justification of such conduct ; we only mention the facts to show that our first artists care just as much for the Ancient Concerts or their Directors, as for those which are held at the London Tavern, and that in MALIBRAN'S eye Lord DARNLEY and Mr. FORBES are equal. Will the noble Lords resent this treatment ; or will they place the lady's conduct to the account of her Republican education, and forgive it?
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