When her retirement was rumoured _Punch_ declared that the Bishop of Norwich should rather persuade her to remain on the stage than quit it, because of her example. Reports of her engagement to a Mr. Harris prompted the remark that "the people would never permit it." Indeed there were some persons as sceptical of his existence as Mrs. Gamp was of his female namesake. Her last appearance was in May, 1849, to assist Lumley, the unlucky _impresario_, then in difficulties, in response to appeals which were especially vehement in _Punch_. He asserted that her secession was a national calamity: she "made the stage better without making herself worse"; and Mozart's aid was invoked in an imaginary address from the composer of _Don Giovanni_. [Footnote 31: She had already been twenty-five years on the stage and was a link with Beethoven, having sung the soprano part in both the Ninth Symphony and the Mass in D at the historic production of these great works in Vienna in 1824. Lablache's generous homage to Beethoven's genius on the occasion of his funeral is too well known to need more than a passing word of grateful recognition.] [Illustration: TO JENNY LIND FROM PUNCH] The engagement to Mr. Harris was "declared off" immediately afterwards, but Jenny Lind, in spite of _Punch's_ repeated appeals, adhered to her decision to quit the stage. As late as 1856 _Punch_ still hoped she would reconsider her verdict, and her farewell concerts at Exeter Hall in the summer of that year inspired the characteristic remark that "if any sweetening process could purify the building it would be such singing as hers." [Sidenote: _Popular Favourites in 1844_] In the early 'forties _Norma_ was the opera most frequently mentioned. _Punch_ published the stories of several of the most popular operas in verse. A fragment from _Linda di Chamouni_ may suffice:-- Then Mario warbles a beautiful bar About the revenge of his cruel mamma, Who, finding to Linda his faith has been plighted, Resolves to another to get him united: He curses his fate in a charming _falsetto_, Gives way to despair in a _voce di petto_. And, rather than grief in his bosom should fester, He calls out for death in a _voce di testa_: Of life his farewell he seems willing to take, And gives on _addio_ a delicate shake. The passage is managed with exquisite skill; And Linda--acquainted with Mario's trill-- Lets him hold it as long as he's able to do, Awaiting its finish to take for her cue.