A small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights. One of the best stories of the kind is told of Crescentini, who, three-quarters of a century later, at the first representation of _Gli Orazi e Curiazi_, observed immediately before the commencement of the performance, that the costume of _Orazio_ was more magnificent than his own. He sent for the stage manager, and burning with rage, addressed him as follows:-- "_Perche_," he commenced, "avez vous donné _oun_ habit blanc à ce _mossiou_; et _che_ vous m'en avez gratifié _d'oun_ vert?" It was explained to the singer that there was a tradition at the Comédie Francaise by which the costume of the principal Horatius was white and that of the chief of the Curiatii, green. "_Perché_ la _bordoure rouze_ à un _primo tenore_, el la _bordoure_ noire à _oun primo virtuoso_?" continued the incensed sopranist. "No one was thinking," replied the stage manager, "of your positions as singers; our only object was to make the costumes as correct as possible." "Votre _ousaze_ et votre _ezatitoude_ sont des imbéciles," exclaimed Crescentini; "_zé mé lagnérai_ de votre condouite envers moi. Quant à vous, _mossiou_ Brizzi _fate-mi il piacere_ dé vous déshabiller _subito_ et dé mé fairé passer _questo vestito in baratto dou_ mien qué zé vais vous envoyer. _Per Bacco!_ non _si dirà qu'oun tenore_ aura _parou miou vétou qu'oun primo oumo, surtout_ quand ce _primo virtuoso_ est Girolamo Crescentini d'Urbino." An exchange took place on the spot, and throughout the evening a Curiatius, six feet high, was seen wearing a little Roman costume, which looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer, while a diminutive Horatius was attired in a long Alban tunic, of which the skirt trailed along the ground. * * * * * [Sidenote: HANDEL AND HEIDEGGER.]