I RECALL a series of English operas which were given in 1848 at the Princess's Theatre in Oxford Street, under the direction of Mr. Maddox. Mr. Edward Loder was the conductor, and he engaged me to play the violin in his orchestra. The charming Madame Anna Thillon was the principal soprano, and sang in Auber's Crown Diamonds most brilliantly. She was a beautiful woman; in fact, I never saw a prettier woman on the stage, and she was most fascinating into the bargain. She was married to a Frenchman, and I think had studied in Paris. Monsieur Thillon was the conductor of the Philharmonic Concerts at Havre. The part of Queen Catherine in Crown Diamonds is most difficult to sing, but Madame Thillon sang it with the greatest ease, and all its difficulty seemed to vanish with her superb rendering.