Second Night.—­Faust, with a new Marguerite, Gay dog, Faust.  How many Marguerites have there been even in my time!  Same old story. Faust not a whit improved by experience—­going on just the same as ever.  His new Marguerite does credit to his choice, for Mlle. EAMES—­(isn’t she Miss EAMES, and neither Mademoiselle nor Signora?  And doesn’t she hail from Columbia?—­but no matter)—­is a sweet-looking Marguerite, with a voice as true as is her heart to Faust.  A genuine Gretchen, simple not brilliant.  Brilliancy she leaves to property diamonds, but awakes enthusiasm, by her judicious acting over the inert body of Valentine, when she attempts no sudden Colwell-Hatchney shriek, always so perilous.  Signor PEROTTI looked as Faust might have done, had he been elected an Alderman of the City of London and acted up to the character.  If DRURIOLANUS had lent him his Sheriff’s chain to wear, Signor PEROTTI would have been perfect, that is from this point of view.  M. MAUREL excellent as Mephisto in a new suit of clothes.  He appears now as “The Gentleman in Grey”—­rather suggestive of his having become a Volunteer, and a member, of course, of “the Devil’s Own.”  Imagine Mephistopheles re-dressed at last!  On both nights Signor MANCINELLI, the Conductor, seemed pleased, and that’s something.

[Illustration:  The New Faust, a mixture of Henry the Eighth and Colonel N——­th.]

Great feature in Covent Garden this year is the decoration of the Pit-tier Lobby.  DRURIOLANUS, feeling happy at the Opera prospects, and rejoicing in a full subscription, said to the Committee, “Gentlemen, let’s have ’glasses round’!” Some officious person, hearing this, mistook the meaning of the great Chief, and straightway ran off and ordered looking-glasses all round for the Lobby! Grand effect! brilliant! dazzling!—­too much so, in fact; several glasses too much.  So, after a couple of nights’ reflection, when the habitues came on Thursday, behold, two or three of the aristocratic mirrors or Peer-glasses had disappeared, the hat-pegs of former times had been restored, the wounded susceptibilities of the Stall-keepers whose occupation was partly gone, were healed, and where gloom was spreading, wreathed smiles once more prevailed.  Even now these Opera-glasses are rather too powerful.  Still, “let us see ourselves as others see us,” is a good practical motto for the loiterer in the lobby, as he catches sight of himself, en passant, and wonders who that chap is, whose face he has seen somewhere before, but whose name he can’t for the life of him recollect.

Thursday.—­Carmen.  Disappointed with JULIA RAVOGLI in this, though there are some fine bits of acting in it.  Didn’t care much about Sister SOFIA as Mickie the Maiden, M. LUBERT’s Don Jose good but not great; and M. CELLI, who, in default of M. DEVOYOD’s not being able to appear, took the part of Escamillo, was great, but not very good.  He was, however, well supported by Signor RANDEGGER and the Orchestra, and considering the difficulties he had to struggle with, including an apology in the bills, he came out of it safely.