St. Cecilia-like expression of her raised eyes and rapt countenance, produced a thrilling effect through the united medium of sight and hearing.  Whoever has heard Catalani sing this, accompanied by Schmidt on the trumpet, has heard the utmost that music can do.  Then in the succeeding chorus, when the same awful words, ’The trumpet sounds; the graves restore the dead which they contained before,’ are repeated by the whole choral strength, her voice, piercing through the clang of instruments and the burst of other voices, is heard as distinctly as if it were alone!  During the encore I found my way to the top of a tower on the outside of the cathedral, and could still distinguish her wonderful voice.”

A charming incident is told of Mme. Catalani while in Brighton.  Captain Montague, cruising off that port, invited her and some other ladies to a fete on his ship, and the ladies were escorted on board by the Captain in a boat manned by twenty men.  The prima donna suddenly burst forth with her pet song, “Rule Britannia,” singing with electrical fire and the full power of her magnificent voice.  The tars dropped their oars, and tears rolled down their weatherbeaten cheeks, while the Captain said:  “You see, madame, the effect this favorite air has on these brave men when sung by the finest voice in the world.  I have been in many victorious battles, but never felt an excitement equal to this.”

Mme. Catalani retired from the stage in 1831.  Young and brilliant rivals, such as Pasta and Son-tag, were rising to contest her sovereignty, and for several years the critics had been dropping pretty plain hints that it would be the most judicious and dignified course.  She settled on a magnificent estate near Lake Como, where she lived with her two eldest children—­a son and daughter—­the younger son being absent on military duty in the French army.  This latter afterward became an equerry to Napoleon III., and the other children occupied positions of rank and honor.  Mme. Catalani founded a school of gratuitous instruction for young girls near her beautiful villa, and exacted that all who graduated from this school should adopt her own name.  One, Signora Masilli-Catalani, became quite an eminent singer.  Mrs. Trollope tells us something of Catalani’s latter days as she visited her in Italy:  “Nothing could be more amiable than the reception she gave us.”  She expressed a great admiration and love for the English.  Her beauty was little injured.  “Her eyes and teeth are still magnificent,” says Mrs. Trollope, “and I am told that, when seen in evening full dress by candlelight, no stranger can see her for the first time without inquiring who that charming-looking woman is.”  Mrs. Trollope hinted to Mlle, de Valle-breque that she would like to hear her mother sing; and in a moment Mme. Catalani was at the piano, smiling at the whispered request from her daughter.  “I know not what it was she sang, but scarcely