It has just occurred to me that I have omitted to mention that in 1859 while I was in Manchester I went to London to sing in the Handel Festival for which I have a medal. It was held at the Crystal Palace & was an enjoyable holiday & an inexpensive one as being on the R’way I had a first class Pass altho’ my travelling expenses etc were paid. I greatly enjoyed the Solos, but the Choruses!! Ugh! It seemed to me as if I was surrounded by the Bulls of Bashan, the noise & shouting being deafening. I could not hear myself & did not trouble to sing very much. It was very different to my previous singing there 7 years before at the opening as a Boy.