ADELINA PATTI.

OT to know Patti is to proclaim one's-self a stranger almost to civilization, and certainly a stranger to the world of sweet melodies. Since the days of Jenny Lind, no singer has ever captivated the ear and the heart of the world as Patti has done.

An enthusiastic admirer of this great singer said: "There are multitudes of singers, but there is only one Patti." This is very good for praise, but it is scarcely accurate, for the Patti family seem all to have been given to music. Adelina Patti was born at Madrid, on the 19th of February, 1843. Her father, Salvatore Patti, was a Sicilian; her mother was a Roman. Adelina was born in Spain, and trained in America. Little marvel therefore, if Patti should manifest a thoroughly cosmopolitan disposition. Her father had won considerable renown as a singer in most of the chief cities of Italy and Spain; her mother, known as the Signorina Bariti prior to her marriage, was not less famous as a public singer. When Adelina was quite a child the family removed to New York, and here the future queen of song received her first musical training. There were two other daughters of the family. Amelia, the eldest, was a gifted young lady, and succeeded in winning the heart of her first instructor in music. She was married to Maurice Strakosch, who in turn became the musical preceptor of Carlotta and Adelina. Carlotta, the lame sister, developed remarkable musical powers, and has had most flattering tokens of public regard. Her singing was marked by great power and fullness. In the marvelous "Echo Song” she proved herself a perfect master of music in certain parts.

But Adelina was the star destined to outshine all the rest of this gifted musical family. She made her debut on the stage at a very early period and was well received, but it was thought desirable she should withdraw for a period from public work, and in accordance with these wise counsels she devoted some years to the most diligent study of her art. She made what may be called her debut on the 24th of November, 1859, in New York, as Lucia, in Lucia di Lammermoor. She was eminently successful, beyond the anticipations of her warmest admirers, while those who had counseled her retirement for a season felt more than ever the wisdom of the course they had suggested. Adelina was still young, and the training she had received was none too prolonged or too thorough, for the undreamed of work that lay before her in the future. Patti did not know on that November night in 1859 how all the world would long to hear her sing. She has often expressed herself as thankful for the thorough drilling she received in the years previous to entrance on public life, declaring that if it had not been for this and minute effective culture her career could not have been as successful as it has been.

England had heard of the fame of the young singer, and as everything great and good and wonderful must go to London sooner or later, Patti had to go to London. On the 14th of May, 1861, she appeared at the Royal Italian Opera as Armina. She captured London on the first night of her singing; all Belgravia was in a flutter of excitement, and the court ladies found in Patti and her singing a pleasant theme for gossip. In all the chief cities of England there was warm rivalry as to which should first be favored with a visit from this illustrious lady. She sang in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Liverpool in the autumn of 1861, sustaining in wonderful power such characters as Lucia, Violetta, Zerlina, Martha and Rosina. Wherever she went she was triumphant, carrying everything before her with royal ease and queenly grace.

From England she went to the Continent of Europe, and

all through the great cities of the Old World, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Madrid, the cities of Germany and other of the smaller cities, her singing won increased fame. From 1861 to the present day Patti has made an annual visit to Covent Garden Theater in London. London could get on without a Lord Mayor's show, or a Guy Fawkes celebration, but London must have Patti every year.

The voice of Mdlle. Patti is of moderate power, but great compass, reaching to F in alto; her execution is brilliant and finished, and she has great charms of person and manner. Her whole bearing is most genial and unaffected. Her repertoire is remarkably extensive, comprising nearly thirty characters, chiefly of the Italian school, such as Lucia, Violetta, Zerlina, Adah, Norma, Adina, Linda, Luisa Miller, Desdemona, Ninetta, Semiramide, Annetta, Juliet, Aida, Estella, etc., etc.

Besides these distinctly operatic characters, Patti has done good work in classic music, taking part in the Handel and other great musical festivals. On the 29th of July, 1868, Mdlle. Patti was married to Henri, Marquis de Caux, Equerry to Napoleon III. This gifted lady has been spoken of as the "first singer of the age," and another critic says: "Adelina Patti is one of those rare singers who appear at long intervals on the musical horizon to revive not only the hopes of managers but the enthusiasm of the public."

The illustrious diva spends most of her vacations in her beautiful castle in Wales, where she reigns indeed a queen. The latest news concerning her is that she is writing a book, in which she proposes to give a minute and detailed account of her professional career. Such a book would be sure to have a large sale.