SANG HER TO DEATH.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 October 1914, Page 2

SANG HER TO DEATH.

Maria Felicita Mali'bran, the famous mezzo-soprano, daughter of the celebrated Spanish singer, Manuel Garcia, did not die, as is generally thouglit, from inflammation of the throat ; her death, at the age ol '.wenty-eight, was much more pathetic and dramatic. Although very ill, and advised to take a rest cure, she travelled to Manchester to fulfil a contract. She was engaged to sing the celebrated duet from Mercadante's " Andronico," with Mine. Oaradori us her partner, and at the close of the performance the public rose at her and demanded more. T^a Malibran was pale and exhausted, and made appealing geyfcures to the audiei cc ; but the clamour and tumulr, went on unceasingly. So, turning to Sir George Stuart, who conducted the orchestra, she remarked : "If 1 have to^ sing this on.co more, it will 1; c my death !" In ih-t. case, said Sir Gecree. "you had belter retire, and I will apologise to the audience. ' Hut she rallied at these words, and r<-! lied : "No, T will, sing, although it moans the death of me !" She gave the encore ; but while the hall reverberated with the thunders of applause the unfortunate artiste was lying in a dead faint in she arms of Mine. Garadoi- Allen. Her words were prophetic : nine days later—on September 23, 1856 —she died at the Mosley Arms, Manchester. She was buried at Laeken, Brussels, and her grave has j become a place of pilgrimage, no musician ever visiting the Belgian capital without pushing his or her sard through the rusty grating which protects Malibran's grave from the Intrusion of the curious. THE DEAN SWIFT SATURNALIA. When Dean Swift died, on October 19, 1725, there passed away in that eccentric clergyman a man of rare talents, combined with genuine wit. The anecdotes told of Swift's peculiarities are as various as they are amusing. It is related of hint that when he was appointed to the living of Laracor, in County Month, he determined' to read morning prayers on Wednesdays and Fridays. On the first Wednesday upon which he commenced this laudable practice the only person present beside himself was the vestry clerk Roger. The Dean, nothing daunted mounted the reading-desk, and began, "Dear belo\ed Roger, the Scripture moveth you and me in sundry places," and so proceeded to the end of the service. Some of Swift's eccentric ideas ended in disastrous results. Pie once conceived the notion of having- a yearly Saturnalia in his own house, in imitation of an old Roman custom. He accordingly invited a select band of friends to his house, and caused each guest to seat his manservant at the dinner-table, and wait upon him. All went. well until the Dean's footman—in imitation of his master's habit—vociferously found fault with a dish placed in front of him, and ended in throwing dish and meat at the Dean's head !