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in 1826, when Adelaide Eistori was born, in the obscure Venetian city of Cividale del Priali, Her parents, Antonio Ristori and Maddelena Pomatelli, his wife, were players, members of a strolling theatrical company, and very poor. The little Adelaide made her first appearance on the stage when she was only two months old, being carried on in a basket, in the representation of a comedy called ^The New Tear's Gift.* When four years old, she began to enact juve- nile parts, in which, as she was a bright and pretty child, she speedily became a favorite. Her first teacher was her pater- nal grandmother ; and very hard work that teacher had to do, — since the pupil evinced far more partiality for music than for acting, and was not, without great difficulty, diverted from the former to the latter. Perseverance, though, bent the twig, and so gave the desired inclination to the tree. As the child grew, her sphere of employment began to broaden. From juvenile parts she passed to the line of ^ chamber- maids," in which, at the age of twelve, she was notably pro- ficient. Her labor at this time mainly supported her parents, and her six brothers and sisters — younger than herself.* Change of place was, of course, frequent, in this nomadic period of her career. The first fixed dramatic company with which she became connected was that of the King of Sar- dinia, established at Turin. In this city she found her second teacher, Carlotta Marchioni, a famous actress in her day, and not less generous than eminent. To this artist the young Bistori was indebted for sound teaching and judicious encour- agement. At times the eccentric old actress would call her •* an imbecile,** and bid her " go and wash dishes." At other times, when the girl's acting justified approval, she would feign severity and fondly murmur, " PU have no more to do with you ! you act too much as I would have you." In brief, Harchioni had discovered the germ of genius in this bud of womanhood, and she lovingly and fitithfully labored to devel