Not long ago a lady came to me to hear her voice. When she entered my study I could not help noticing her appearance ; she was short and stout, and not at all prepossessing in any way. That would not have mattered if her voice had been good, or she had sung well. I heard her sing a few ballads, which she sang wretchedly. She said she was forty-two, and that she wanted to enter the musical profession. She added that she had been for four years under a master, who had told her she could easily earn four pounds a day by concert singing. I at once disillusioned her and told her she had better give up all idea of singing in public ; and then she departed, very despondently. Poor woman ! it was a nasty task to have to disap- point her ; but it would have been far more cruel to have raised her hopes. << less