It was owing to a fortuitous combination of circumstances--the sudden return of Mme. Pasta to Paris, Ronzi losing her voice through illness, Vestris seceding to the stage, and Caradori, an excellent _seconda donna_, being _hors de combat_--that Maria found herself engaged to fill the gap. Manuel Garcia, by the way, in after years used sometimes to recall the effect which Pasta's singing made on him, when he heard her in his youth. He spoke of her as possessing a voice of ravishing beauty, together with perfection of fioriture and grandeur of dramatic conception, but in spite of this there was no doubt in his mind as to his preference for the singing of Maria. Indeed, he would always declare that his sister was the most natural and most precocious genius with whom he had ever come in contact. With her _début_ at the King's Theatre Maria achieved a triumphant success, which was witnessed by her brother; and she was engaged by the management for the remaining six weeks of the season for a sum of five hundred pounds. Once more we find that curious repertoire of operas in favour at that time which contrasts so strangely with the taste of the present day, and serves to illustrate the important changes in the form and character of music which Manuel Garcia witnessed during his life. We may, moreover, in this year trace the first introduction of Meyerbeer's music to English audiences, for we read in the July 'Harmonicon'-- "On the 23rd of last month there was brought out 'Il Crociato in Egitto,' the new grand opera of Meyerbeer, a composer whose name was completely unknown in this country only a few weeks ago.... Mdlle. Garcia, disguised in male attire, performed the part of Felicia with great ability, both as a singer and actress." Turning from opera to the concert world of 1825, we learn that "The only regular subscription concerts now supported in London are the Ancient and the Philharmonic," though we find Mme. Catalani during May giving a series of four concerts at the Argyll Rooms, assisted by Mrs Salmon, Mr Sapio, and Signor Remorini. In the way of private musical entertainments, the Duke of Devonshire gave a fashionable concert in May, with Pasta, Velluti, the last male soprano who ever trod the boards in opera in this country, Puzzi, and a pianist with the mellifluous cognomen "Szymanowska"; while on June 15, a state concert was given by his Majesty King George IV. at--Carlton Palace! Among the artists taking part in the latter we find Signor and Mdlle. Garcia, Caradori, Begrez, di Begnis, Curioni, Remorini, Velluti, and Crivelli. At the end of the season the elder Garcia, together with his wife, son, and daughter, sang at several provincial concerts, and their names appear in the programmes of two of the Gentlemen's Concerts at Manchester on August 15 and September 9. Four members of the family appearing together was surely a remarkable event! In the same month Maria was one of the soloists at the second York Festival.