SIGNOR PAGANINI respectfully informs the Nobility, Subscribers, and Frequenters of the Opera, and the public, that he will give a GRAND MISCELLANEOUS CONCERT of VOCAL and INSTRUMEMTAL MUSIC, at this theatre, TO-MORROW EVENING. _Prices of Boxes_:--Pit Tier, 8 Guineas; Grand Tier, 10 Guineas; One Pair, 9 Guineas; Two Pair, 6 Guineas; Three Pair, 4 Guineas; Stalls, 2 Guineas; Orchestra, 1-1/2 Guineas; Admission to the Pit, 1 Guinea; Ditto to the Gallery, Half a Guinea. This announcement produced a storm of indignation. Articles appeared in _The Times_, _The Courier_, _The Observer_, _The Chronicle_, and correspondence of a heated character was carried on. The editor of _The Harmonicon_, calculated that a full house at the prices would realise more than 3,000 guineas, and M. Laporte, the manager of the King's Theatre, was virtually accused of conspiring to rob the public. It must be explained that Laporte "farmed" Paganini; and as the latter invariably doubled the ordinary prices of admission, his impressario naturally desired to share in the golden harvest. Laporte wrote to _The Times_ a hurried note on May 19th, at eleven p.m., stating that at some future time he would refute the charges brought against him; and the next day a letter from Paganini to Laporte, and advertised in the newspaper, gave pause to the wordy warfare. It was as follows:-- Sir, _Friday_, 29th May. Finding myself too unwell, I request you will respectfully inform the public that the Concert announced for to-morrow will not take place. Your obedient Servant, To M. Laporte. NICOLO PAGANINI. Paganini was in a wretched state of health when he reached London, and his condition was not improved by the turmoil his announcement had created. The terms of his contract with Laporte were published in _The Observer_, and it was shown that Paganini had practically surrendered his freedom of action. This may be illustrated by a story that I have not met with in any English publication, though it may be true all the same. It is from the notice of Paganini in Mendel's "Musikalisches Conversations-Lexikon." His Majesty William IV. sent to enquire what honorarium Paganini required to play at the Court. Paganini answered: £100, a mere bagatelle. As the messenger tendered him one half that sum, Paganini haughtily replied, "His Majesty can hear me at a much cheaper rate if he will attend my concert. But my terms are not left for me to settle."