On the 12th October, 1842, she arrived at Paris with a letter of introduction to George Osborne, a celebrated pianist. His wife, an amiable and accomplished woman, promised to look after her. She found Garcia "the dearest, kindest, most gracious of masters." After a year and a half under him, he declared that "he could not add a single charm or grace to her voice, so pure in tone and so extensive in compass." She ascended with ease to D in alt; her upper notes were limpid and like a well- tuned silver bell up to A, while her lower notes were the most beautiful ever heard in a real soprano; and her shake—her wonderful shake — was remarkably good. She was tall, with a fine figure, and very graceful in her movements.
Garcia strongly advised her to go to Italy, and, not dismayed by the long distance, she went to Milan, and put herself under Signor Ronconi. At one of the musical parties she sang at she made such an impression on Madame Grassani, aunt to Madame Grisi, that she wrote off to the manager of the Italian Opera at Marseilles telling him of the new star, and advising him to offer her an engagement. He forthwith came to Milan, heard the young singer, and offered her terms that seemed to her like a fortune. On the 10th May, 1845, she made her first appearance at Marseilles as Elvira in I Puritani. She was absolutely faint from terror, and not a hand was raised to en-
