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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2496, 5 January 1877, Page 3

Verdi rarely attends the theatre, especially the opera. It, is said that he never witnessed the representation of his " Ballo in Maschera" until ten years after its appearance upon the stage. A man of culture, *he is a connoisseur in art, is thoroughly versed in Italian, French and -•• German and English authors. He has frequent recourse to the original source of his inspiration—the Bible. Though he styles himself a " bear" and often alludes with a spice of pleasantry to his peasant birth, he is courteous though simple in his manners, easy and fluent in his conversation,. and personally a great favorite among: his more intimate friends. A Senator of the Kingdom, he betrays no ambition to shine as a parliamentary leader. A poor emaciated Irishman having called in a physician in a forlorn hope, the latter spread a large mustard plaster and put on the poor fellow's lean chest. Pat, when he with tearful eyes looked down on it, said, "Doctor, it strikes me it's a dale of mustard for so little mate."