Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 09.djvu/37

 Allan, the secretary of the King's Theatre, where she was again engaged at a salary of 500l., singing with Catalani in Mayr's 'Nuovo Fanatico per la Musica,' and (for her own benefit) as Zerlina in 'Don Giovanni,' In following year her chief parts were Carlotta in Generali's 'L'Adelina,' Fatima in Rossini's 'Pietro l'Eremita,' and Palmida in Meyerbeer's 'Crociato;' in the latter opera was associated with the sopranist Velluti. In 1826 her salary, which had been lowered to 400l., was raised to 700l., and she sang with Pasta in Zingarelli's 'Romeo e Giulietta,' and as Rosina in 'II Barbiere di Seviglia.' In the following year her salary was 1,200l., but this was the last season of Italian opera for some time, and Mdme. Caradori-Allan went abroad. She sang in Venice 1830, but in 1834 reappeared in Italian opera London, and after 1835 remained in England until her death. She sang the soprano solo music at the first performance of Beethoven's ninth symphony in England, 21 March 1826, in the same year took part in the York festival. In 1826 she was at Gloucester, and 1827 at the Leicester and Worcester festivals. In 1834 she sang in the Handel festival in Westminster Abbey, in 1836 at the Winchester festival with Malibran, and in 1846 took part in Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' at production at the Birmingham festival. In latter years of her career she abandoned stage for oratorio and concert singing, which she achieved great success. She retired about 1845, and died at Elm Lodge, Surbiton, on Sunday, 15 Oct. 1865. Mme. Caradori-Allan all her life enjoyed great popularity; personally she was very accomplished, at the same time most amiable and unaffected. Her singing was more remarkable for finish than for force; her voice was sweet, deficient in tone, and it was said of her 'she always delighted, but never surprised,' her audiences. As an actress she was charming. There are portraits of her as Creusa in 'Medea,' by Hullmandel after Hayand in Ebers's 'Seven Years of the King's Theatre.'

 CARANTACUS, in modern Welsh CARANNOG, (fl. 450), was, according to the life contained in Cotton. MS. Vespasian A. xiv. (printed by the Bollandists by Rees, 'Cambro-Brit. Saints,' pp. 97–101), the son of Cereticus (Ceredig), king of the region which has received from him the name of Cardigan. A Welsh document printed by Rees under the title 'Pedigrees of Welsh Saints' makes him not the son but the grandson of Ceredig, his father's name being given as Corwn. It is impossible to place any confidence in either of these statements, since, although the name of Ceredig is doubtless historical, the traditions relating to him are for the most part obviously fabulous. Eight of the most celebrated of the Welsh saints are stated to have been his sons or grandsons, while the genealogy of many others is traced up to his eight brothers. Equally worthless is the assertion quoted by Colgan from the 'Opuscula' of St. Oengus, lib. 4, c. 6, that Carantacus was one of the fifteen sons (all bishops !) of St. Patrick's sister Darerca. The life above referred to (which the Bollandists remark is suspected of being largely fabulous) says that the kingdom of Ceredig being invaded by the Irish, and the king being advanced in years and infirm, the nobles counselled him to abdicate in favour of his eldest son, Carantacus. The young prince, 'loving the heavenly king more than an earthly Kingdom,' took flight in order to escape the honour that was to be thrust upon him, and lived for some time as a hermit in a place which was afterwards known as Guerit Carantauc (possibly Llangrannog in Cardiganshire). According to another version of this part of his story, the place of his retirement was a cave called Edilu. Here he gave himself to prayer and to the study of the scriptures. He afterwards passed over into Ireland, and became associated with St. Patrick in the evangelisation of that country, having changed his name to Cernach or Cernath. In Ireland he was regarded with great reverence, and there were 'many churches and cities' named after him in the province of Leinster.

It appears from this that the author of the 'Life' regarded Carantacus as the same person with St. Caimech, a bishop who is mentioned by the Irish hagiologists as a companion of St. Patrick, and as having assisted him in the work of editing the Brehon laws. The correctness of this identification derives some support from the fact that the festival of Caimech is placed in the Irish calendars under 16 May ; there being reason to believe that this was the date assigned by the British church to Carantacus. At Llangrannog, the church of which is dedicated to this saint, there is an annual fair on 27 May (i.e. 16 May old style); and at Crantock in Cornwall, where there is the same dedication, the village feast is on the Sunday nearest to 16 May. The Irish writers