has been simplified. The legend narrates that after the agony of slow fire, which failed to kill the Christian bride, the sword ended her days. A literal adherence to this tradition might have weakened the closing scene by presenting two situations of the same character. Others must judge how far I have been indiscreet, or the reverse, in its omission." The story of the cantata is strikingly similar to that which forms the theme of Donizetti's opera "Il Poliuto," though the manner of the conversions differs. In the former it is Valerianus, the lover of Cecilia, who is turned from heathenism by the angelic vision. In the latter it is Paulina, the wife of the Roman convert Polyutus, who witnesses the divine illumination and hears the celestial harps, which induce her to abjure the worship of the gods and join her husband in martyrdom. It is in fact the old, old story of the persecutions of a new faith by the old. Cecilia, though married to Valerianus, hears the divine call summoning the bride away from her lover until he shall have been converted. She appeals to Heaven in his behalf. A vision of angels appears to him and their songs win his soul. The infuriated prefect, who has but just performed the rites of their marriage, orders their death,--Valerianus to be beheaded, and Cecilia to die by the slow martyrdom of fire. The tragedy of the former is left to the imagination. Cecilia dies surrounded by the angels and hears their voices:-- "Before mine eyes, already dim, Doth heaven unclose the gate; I hear the choiring seraphim Around the throne that wait. To join the song of that bright choir Thy mercy sets me free; And so I triumph o'er the fire, And rise, O Lord, to Thee." The work contains thirteen numbers, and the solos are divided as follows: Cecilia, soprano; Valerianus, tenor; the Prefect of Rome, bass; a Christian woman, contralto. The remaining numbers are assigned to choruses of Roman citizens, Christians, and angels. A tender and sorrowful prelude, foreshadowing the tragedy, introduces a bright and joyous wedding chorus ("Let the Lutes play their loudest"), which in its middle part is divided between male and female choir, returning to four-part harmony in the close. The next number is an ecstatic love-song for Valerianus ("The Love too deep for Words to speak"), which leads up to a scena and duet for Valerianus and Cecilia ("O my Lord, if I must grieve you"), which is very dramatic in its texture. The conversion music, including an obligato soprano solo with chorus of angels ("Praise the Lord"), recitative and air for tenor with choral responses ("Cease not, I pray you"), and an animated chorus of angels ("From our Home"), follows, and closes the first part.