The comments just given, taken, as it may be seen they are, from the principal journals of Washington and Philadelphia, without regard to party bias, would be of little value here, were it not for the vein of candor that runs through them all. In them the writers have tempered very high praise with the faithful pointing-out of such defects as to them appeared in the performances. This is the spirit of true criticism, which, while it ever eagerly seeks to discover all the merits of a performance, fails not also to note, in the interest of true progress, all its errors. Praise, then, from such a source, is praise indeed. Moreover, it is not pretended that our little troupe of amateurs presented a _perfect_ performance. Others of longer experience and of far more pretentious character had not done this. Nor was or is such a thing possible; for, as Pope says in his "Essay on Criticism," "Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be." But, allowing for such errors as caught the sharp eye and ear of the critic (it is seen that these errors were but trifling in number and character), the series of operatic representations under consideration was a fine, a brilliant success. For the happy conception and successful carrying-out of the idea of presenting to the public a rendition of opera by musicians of the colored race, words too high in praise of these ambitious _pioneers_ of Washington cannot be spoken. Never before had there been an attempt by persons of their race to enter, as the equals of others, the exacting domain of the music drama. The performances, although few in number, were of such a highly-pleasing description, and the movement was withal so entirely novel, as to render it a somewhat startling and a most delightful _revelation_. Mingled with the feelings of just pride that many persons experience when reflecting upon the grand musical and dramatic success achieved by these artists, ever and anon arise those of regret,--regret that they did not longer continue their charming performances, extending the same to other cities besides those mentioned. It is therefore earnestly hoped that ere long they will again appear. It is hoped that even now they are devoting themselves to rigid study, and to the arrangement of matters of detail; and that, guided by past valuable experience, they will soon give representations of opera in a style even exceeding in finish that which characterized those which they formerly gave.