But after a few months' sojourn in Berlin, during which I spent at least four evenings a week in listening to operatic or concert-room performances, I was compelled to recognise the fallacy of the theories I had taken for granted during the unsophisticated period of my existence above alluded to; and I eventually arrived at the conclusion — which I have not seen any reason to change up to the present day — that State theatres in Germany, as far as the provision of efficient vocalists is concerned, did not keep pace with the musical requirements of the age.