Lablache was also the best Dr. Bartolo in Rossini's masterpiece II Barbiere di Seviglia, showing his wonderful sense of humour, as he also did in Donizetti's Don Pasquale. Lablache was literally "great," being very stout, but he moved with extraordinary agility. One night I heard him make fun of his own unwieldy appearance. In one of the scenes he sat in an arm-chair and tried to pick up the handkerchief of Norina, sung by Sontag, of whom I will speak later on. Being extremely fat, he could not do so, and his vain efforts always created much amuse ment among the audience. It may interest my readers to know that Lablache gave Queen Victoria lessons in singing.