[Letter from Jemima Yorke to Mary Gregory, 27^th November 1746]

[…] the poor Opera-House is quite forsaken & is the thinnest Coldest Assembly you can go into. _ I was there on Tuesday after many Disappointments. _ _ _ The Musick of this Opera is not very good, but the Singers by no means a despicable Set, so far from it that were Monticelli but here too, I should think it much the best Set has been here these many Years. The first Voice is a most delightful One, & generally allow'd to be the most like Senesino's of any that has been here since Him. It is a Contralto & a very full fine Tone & some Notes in the Middle part of it struck me by the Resemblance the Moment he spoke: Weber says 'they go to his Heart' (If this does not make you curious to hear him you are past all Sense of Curiosity.) But the Man is not wise enough to know his greatest Excellence must be such a Tone, & is apt to flourish too much upon it, thinking that I suppose the present Taste; however he does nothing injudicously[sic], for he is quite a Master of Musick I am told, & his Manner I think extremely good. He sings too with Expression & would act so if he could, but so awkward a Creature never was made. He is Seven or Eight Feet high at least, not young, & has such an Untractable long Pair of Legs & of Arms! that are certainly hung upon Wires, & move more by Chance than his Direction, for his Voice & Manner mean to express much more than they will let him execute. In short I am vastly pleased with him,–& everybody will say they are, tho' few will go to hear him. There are Two Women besides very tolerable & no Voice that tires you, & if they have but a pretty good Opera, I expect in spight of the Fashion to be very well amused by them.