DAVID GARRICK 343 the Italian opera school. "I Vespri Siciliani " (1855) and "Simon Boccanegra " (1857) were not so successful as " Un Ballo in Maschera" (1859) ; and none of them, any more than " La Forza del Destino " (1862) or " Don Carlos" (1867), added anything to the fame of the composer of "II Trovatorc." Only now begins the interest which the student of musical history finds in Verdi's life. Hitherto he had proved a good man, struggling with adversity and poverty, a successful composer ambitious to succeed to the vacant throne of Ital- ian opera. But the keen insight into dramatic necessity which had gradually developed and had given such force to otherwise unimportant scenes in earlier operas, also showed him the insufficiency of the means hitherto at the disposal of Italian composers, and from time to time he had tried to learn the lessons taught in the French Grand Opera School, but with poor success. Now a longer inter- val seemed to promise a more careful, a more ambitious work, and when "Aula" was produced at Cairo (1871), it was at once acknowledged that a revolution had taken place in Verdi's mind and method, which might produce still greater results. The influence of Wagner and the music-drama is distinctly to be felt. But Verdi was apparently not yet satisfied. For sixteen years the successful composer maintained absolute silence in opera, when whispers of a great music- drama roused the expectation of musical Europe to an extraordinary pitch ; nor were the highest expectations disappointed when " Otello " was produced at Milan in 1887. The surrender of Italian opera was complete, and Verdi took his right place at the head of the vigorous new school which has arisen in Italy, and which promises to regain for the " Land of Song" some of her ancient pre- eminence in music. A comic opera by Verdi, " Falstaff," was announced in i8q2 : it has well sustained his previous reputation. DRAMATIC AND LYRIC ARTISTS DAVID GARRICK By Samuel Archer (1716-1779) his celebrated actor was the son of Peter Garrick, who had a cap- H*? tain's commission in the army, but who generally resided at Lich- ?%^I$W' 1 ^ e ^* ^ e was k° nl at Hereford, when his father was on a re- ^Nill>P^I cru i tm g party there, and was baptized in the Church of All-Saints,
- &&£& in that city, on February 20, 1716. Young Garrick received part
of his education at the grammar school there, but he did not apply himself to his books with much assiduity. He had conceived a very early passion for the-
