[Illustration: The New Faust, a mixture of Henry the Eighth and
Colonel N----th.]

Great feature in Covent Garden this year is the decoration of the
Pit-tier Lobby. DRURIOLANUS, feeling happy at the Opera prospects, and
rejoicing in a full subscription, said to the Committee, "Gentlemen,
let's have 'glasses round'!" Some officious person, hearing this,
mistook the meaning of the great Chief, and straightway ran off and
ordered _looking-glasses all round for the Lobby!_ Grand effect!
brilliant! dazzling!--too much so, in fact; several glasses too
much. So, after a couple of nights' reflection, when the _habitués_
came on Thursday, behold, two or three of the aristocratic mirrors
or Peer-glasses had disappeared, the hat-pegs of former times had
been restored, the wounded susceptibilities of the Stall-keepers
whose occupation was partly gone, were healed, and where gloom was
spreading, wreathed smiles once more prevailed. Even now these
Opera-glasses are rather too powerful. Still, "let us see ourselves
as others see us," is a good practical motto for the loiterer in the
lobby, as he catches sight of himself, _en passant_, and wonders who
that chap is, whose face he has seen somewhere before, but whose name
he can't for the life of him recollect.

_Thursday_.--_Carmen_. Disappointed with JULIA RAVOGLI in this, though
there are some fine bits of acting in it. Didn't care much about
Sister SOFIA as _Mickie the Maiden_, M. LUBERT's _Don José_ good but
not great; and M. CELLI, who, in default of M. DEVOYOD's not being
able to appear, took the part of _Escamillo_, was great, but not very
good. He was, however, well supported by Signor RANDEGGER and the
Orchestra, and considering the difficulties he had to struggle with,
including an apology in the bills, he came out of it safely.