Note 471 — Chapter XXVI · OPERA, CONCERTS, MUSIC.

Another opera was that of 'Hydaspes' (by Francesco Mancini), which Addison[471] made terrible fun of, especially of a fight that took place between Nicolini and a lion. He had previously[472] unmercifully ridiculed 'Nicolini exposed to a Tempest in Robes of Ermine, and sailing in an Open Boat upon a Sea of Pasteboard,' 'the painted Dragons Spitting Wildfire, enchanted Chariots drawn by Flanders Mares, and real Cascades in artificial Landskips;' but then he might have been sore at the fate of his own opera, 'Rosamond,' which was not a success.