OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 251

251.—DELAYED APPRECIATION.
At a recent auction sale of autographs and original manuscripts in Berlin, the sixteen-page score of a cantata by J. S. Bach sold for £80, and two others by the same composer for £70 and £65, respectively. For the three manuscripts £215! During his lifetime Bach hardly received so much for all the compositions he disposed of. In fact many were never printed at all.
So slight was the recognition given him that the publishers would issue but few of his works. In order to save some of them from oblivion, Bach engraved them with his own hands, and the extra strain this made on his eyes caused him to lose his sight. His "Art of Fugue," which appeared two years after his death, i.e., in 1752, though having a flattering preface from Marpurg, then the foremost critic of Germany, did not meet with sufficient sale to cover the cost of the plates on which the music was engraved; and as there seemed to be no chance of more income from the work, the plates were sold by his heirs for old copper.
Posterity is atoning for this neglect of genius. The Bach Society is issuing in large handsome volumes all of his works. He is now regarded as the fountain head of instrumental music. To have the firmest foundation, a musical education must be based on the study of his compositions.
This revival of interest, or, rather, creation of interest in Bach, must be largely accredited to Mendelssohn, ​who admitted that his own fluency and versatility m composition, especially in contrapuntal forms, had much of its origin in a careful study of the scores of the old Leipzig cantor. Mendelssohn was also very prominent in bringing the music of Bach before the public of his day, and securing for it its proper recognition by the musical world.
Bach was a very religious man, and is doubtless enjoying the reward of a well-spent life. But while the recognition of to-day cannot save him the poverty and trials of his years of painstaking composition, who can say that it may not even now afford him pleasure to know that the century succeeding the one in which he lived has awarded him the olive wreath which was then withheld.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 252

252.—OVERFED COMPOSERS.
While some of the men whom we have to thank for our best music had to struggle hard for the necessities of life, and then were not always successful in obtaining them, others have lived in luxury and have even been famous as gourmands.
Rossini, for one, was quite an epicure. It is told that he once gave his picture to his provision dealer with the words "To my stomach's best friend" inscribed on it. The merchant thought this too good an advertisement to lose and so had the whole thing engraved on his bill-heads and circulars.
Dussek was a notorious glutton, in fact, over eating and drinking brought him to his death-bed. His patron, Prince Benevento, besides paying him a good salary furnished him seats for three at his tables, and it was no infrequent thing that Dussek "got outside of" the provisions at all three places.
Many a time was Händel caricatured in England as an overfed glutton. In one fanciful engraving he was pictured as a huge hog sitting on the organ bench surrounded with cabbages and strings of sausage. There ​was some cause for this, as witness the following: Intending to dine at a certain inn, Händel ordered dinner for three. He waited a while, and, as the dinner did not put in an appearance, he asked why the delay. The waiter replied,
"It shall be sent up, sir, as soon as your company arrives."
"Den bring up de tinner prestissimo. I am de gombany!"
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 25

25.—AN UNCRINGING REPLY.
Queen Elizabeth is sometimes pictured as possessed of a temper which, carrying with it the power of revenge, made it greatly feared. The "Virgin Queen" is also reported by some writers to have been a proficient musician. Probably both statements are true. Although it was hardly safe to speak of her temper during her life, it was the proper thing to flatter her musical attainments. One of her desires was to excel Mary Queen of Scots, as a performer. But Elizabeth's temper did not always cause her to wreak vengeance on those who spoke in an unbecoming manner to the queen. This is instanced in the case of Dr. Tye, who frequently performed on the organ in the royal chapel. On one occasion while he was playing some music more scientific than tuneful, she sent the verger to him with the message that he was playing out of tune. The doctor's quick reply was:—
"Tell the queen that her ears are out of tune."
The queen let the remark pass without rebuke.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 250

250.—LISZT'S COMPLETION OF THE BEETHOVEN MONUMENT.
A notable achievement of Franz Liszt was his raising of the funds for the completion of the Beethoven monument at Bonn. The enterprise had come to a standstill when Liszt became interested in it and declared he would complete it single handed. In a short time he had, by means of concert giving, raised the required amount, and the commission for the statue was in the sculptor's hands.
A great Beethoven festival was arranged for the dedication of the monument. After meeting with all kinds of difficulties and overcoming them, it was discovered there was no hall in Bonn large enough for the huge audience that would be gathered there at that time. The committee of that city were afraid to build one, fearing they would be put to some expense. Liszt settled the matter by himself guaranteeing the necessary amount, ​and the "festhalle" rose as if by magic. The exercises incident to the unveiling of this monument were attended by many royalties of Europe, among them being King William, of Prussia, and Queen Victoria, of England. The whole affair was a great triumph for Liszt as well as a memorial for Beethoven, and was a fine exemplification of this great pianist's energy and versatile abilities as business manager, conductor and pianist.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spinner, Francis Elias

Edition of 1900.
​SPINNER, Francis Elias, financier, b. in German Flats (now Mohawk), N. Y., 21 Jan., 1802; d. in Jacksonville, Fla., 31 Dec., 1890. His father, John Peter (b. in Werbach, Baden, 18 Jan., 1768; d. in German Flats, 27 May, 1848), was a Catholic priest, then embraced Protestantism, married, emigrated to the United States in 1801, and was pastor of Reformed churches at Herkimer and German Flats until his death, preaching at first in German alone, and afterward alternately in German and English. The son was educated carefully by his father, who required him to learn a trade, and apprenticed him at first to a confectioner in Albany, and afterward to a saddler in Amsterdam, N. Y. He engaged in trade at Herkimer in 1824, and became deputy sheriff of the county in 1829. He was active in the militia organization, and by 1834 had reached the grade of major-general. In 1835-'7 he was sheriff, and in 1838-'9 commissioner for building the state lunatic asylum at Utica. When he was removed from this post, on political grounds alone, he became cashier of a bank at Mohawk, of which he was afterward president for many years. He held various local offices, was auditor and deputy naval officer in the naval office at New York in 1845-'9, and in 1854 was elected to congress as an anti-slavery Democrat. He served on the committee on privileges and elections, on a special committee to investigate the assault made by Preston Brooks on Charles Sumner, and on a conference committee of both houses on the army appropriation bill, which the senate had rejected on account of a clause that forbade the use of the military against Kansas settlers. Gen. Spinner was an active Republican from the formation of the party. He was twice re-elected to congress, serving altogether from 3 Dec., 1855, till 3 March, 1861. During his last term he was the chairman of the committee on accounts. When the Lincoln administration was organized, Sec. Salmon P. Chase selected him for the post of treasurer, which he filled, under successive presidents, from 16 March, 1861, till 30 June, 1875. When, during the war, many of the clerks joined the army, Gen. Spinner suggested to Sec. Chase the advisability of employing women in the government offices, and carried into effect this innovation, though not without much opposition. He signed the different series of paper money in a singular handwriting, which he cultivated in order to prevent counterfeiting. When he resigned his office the money in the treasury was counted, and when the result showed a very small discrepancy, many days were spent in recounting and examining the books of accounts, until finally the mistake was discovered. On retiring from office he went to the south for the benefit of his health, and for some years he lived in camp at Pablo Beach, Florida.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spencer, Frederick R.

Edition of 1900.
​SPENCER, Frederick R., artist, b. in Lennox, Madison co., N. Y., 7 Jan., 1806; d. in Wampoville, N. Y., 3 April, 1875. He had some instruction at the American academy, New York, and about 1830 settled in that city. In 1837 he was elected an associate of the National academy, and in 1846 he became an academician. His portraits were generally successful, and he had many well-known sitters, among them Robert E. Launitz, Thomas Thompson, and Zadock Pratt. The National academy owns his portrait of Edwin White.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Sprague, Charles

Edition of 1900.
SPRAGUE, Charles, poet, b. in Boston, Mass., 26 Oct., 1791; d. there, 22 Jan., 1875. His father, Samuel, a native of Hingham, Mass., was one of the party that threw the tea into Boston harbor. The son was educated at the Franklin school of Boston, and at the age of ten lost the use of his left eye by an accident. In 1804 he entered mercantile life, and in 1816 was taken into partnership by his employers. In 1820 he became teller in the State bank, and on the establishment of the Globe bank in 1824 he was employed as cashier, serving there until 1865, when he retired from business. Mr. Sprague first attracted attention as a poet when he won a prize for the best prologue at the opening of the Park theatre in New York. He achieved similar success at the opening of other theatres in Philadelphia, Salem, and Portsmouth. In 1823 he obtained the prize for the best ode to be recited at the exhibition in the Boston theatre of a pageant in honor of Shakespeare, and in 1830 he pronounced an ode at the centennial celebration of the settlement of Boston. In 1829 he delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa society of Harvard a poem on “Curiosity,” which was considered his best production. Among his shorter poems are the “Ode to Shakespeare” and “Winged Worshippers.” Edwin P. Whipple says: “His prologues are the best which have been written since the time of Pope. His ‘Shakespeare Ode’ has hardly been exceeded by anything in the same manner since Gray's ‘Progress of Poesy.’ But the true power and originality of the man are manifested in his domestic pieces. ‘The Brothers,’ ‘I see Thee Still,’ and ‘The Family Meeting’ are the finest consecrations of natural affection in our literature.” There have been several collections of Mr. Sprague's writings (New York, 1841); his “Prose and Poetical Writings, revised by the Author” (Boston, 1850); and other editions (1855 and 1876). — His son, Charles James, poet, b. in Boston, Mass., 16 Jan., 1823, was educated in private schools, and became cashier of the Globe bank in 1864, serving until 1882. For many years he was curator of botany in the Boston society of natural history, and he is known among cryptogamists for his collection of lichens. He has published several lists of New England fungi. Mr. Sprague has contributed poems to journals and magazines, and has written articles for scientific papers. During the past thirty years he has translated numerous poems for part-songs.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spire, Georg von

Edition of 1900.
​SPIRE, or SPEIER, Georg von, governor of Venezuela, b. in Spire, Germany, about 1496; d. in Coro, Venezuela, in 1540. He entered as a boy the banking-house of the famous Welsers, of Augsburg, and worked his way up as their confidential agent, accompanying in the latter capacity the fleet that was armed by the Welsers in 1528, and sent under Ambrosius von Alfinger to conquer Venezuela. Returning to Europe after Alfinger's death, Spire obtained from Charles V. the appointment of governor of Venezuela, despite the claims of Nicholas Federmann, who had been Alfinger's lieutenant. He armed a new expedition in Spain and the Canary islands, and on 22 Feb., 1534, landed at Coro. Against Welser's advice, Spire had appointed Federmann his lieutenant. In the following year, accompanied by 450 regular troops and 1,500 friendly Indians, they set out on a journey of exploration to the interior. After marching together for about 200 miles, they divided into two parties, agreeing to meet afterward. Spire experienced great hardships from hostile Indians, and the soldiers, unaccustomed to march under a burning sun, mutinied several times. When at last they reached the appointed place of meeting without finding any trace of Federmann, the soldiers were discouraged, but Spire animated them with the hope of discovering the riches of the “El Dorado,” of which the survivors of Alfinger's expedition had brought the first reports. They continued the march to the south, but, when the rainy season set in, the overflow of the rivers impeded progress, and the consequent fevers decimated their ranks. Spire persevered for a long time in his search for the El Dorado, until at last his progress was arrested by a mighty river, probably the Orinoco, or its confluent, the Apure, and early in 1539 he returned to Coro with only eighty ragged and sickly men out of the host he had led forth more than four years before. He set out immediately for Europe to lay his complaint against Federmann before the Welsers, but heard in Santo Domingo of the former's return to Spain, and was persuaded by the audiencia to return to his government, where he died soon afterward. Spire's narrative to Charles V., which he sent from Santo Domingo, is said to have been published, but no copy of it is known to exist. It is hoped that the manuscript may be among the papers in the archives at Simancas, of which the Spanish government has recently undertaken the publication.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spencer, Cornelia Phillips

Edition of 1900.
​SPENCER, Cornelia Phillips, author, b. in Harlem, N. Y., 20 March, 1825. She is the daughter of the Rev. James Phillips (q. v.), who was professor of mathematics in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was educated there, and married James M. Spencer, of Alabama, who died in 1861. Mrs. Spencer has contributed to current literature, and is the author of “The Last Ninety Days of the War” (New York, 1807). She is now (1898) writing a “History of North Carolina.”
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spencer, Francis Elias

Edition of 1900.
​SPENCER, Francis Elias, jurist, b. in Ticonderoga, Essex co., N. Y., 25 Sept., 1834. When he was twelve years of age his parents removed to Plainfield, Ill. Hearing exciting accounts of the wealth that was to be acquired in California, he removed to that state in 1862 and located at San José, where he has since resided. Soon after his arrival he began the study of the law, was admitted to the bar in 1858, and soon secured an extensive practice. In 1861 he was elected district attorney of Santa Clara county, which office he filled until March, 1866. Desiring to make a specialty of land practice, he studied the Spanish language and made himself thoroughly familiar with the legislation of Spain and Mexico regarding real property. In 1871 he was elected to the lower branch of the legislature as a Republican, and was made chairman of the judiciary committee. In that capacity he was of great assistance to his colleagues in shaping the code legislation of the session. At its close he retired from political life. In 1879 he was elevated to the bench of the superior court of Santa Clara county, where he still (1898) remains. For a number of years he was a member of the board of fund commissioners of the city of San José, and was mainly instrumental in settling its title to the large body of its Puebla lands. He has recently been appointed a trustee of the Leland Stanford, Jr., university, California.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spies, August Vincent Theodore

​SPIES, August Vincent Theodore, anarchist, b. in Landeck, Germany, 10 Dec., 1855; d. in Chicago, Ill., 11 Nov., 1887. In 1871 he came to the United States and learned the upholsterer's trade in Chicago. In 1876 he became interested in the labor movement, and the next year joined the Socialists. He became in 1880 publisher of the "Arbeiter-Zeitung," and in 1884 its editor and business manager. He was a ready writer and speaker, of good moral character, and had great influence with those of socialistic tendencies. He first became well known by his connection with the labor troubles in Chicago in the spring of 1886. His paper advocated anarchy, and his speeches, when referring to the government and the customs of his adopted country, were bitter, denunciatory, and defiant. On 3 May labor strikes and mob violence had closed most of the machine-shops and manufactories in Chicago. A crowd, estimated to contain 12,000 men, carrying the national flag reversed, assembled to wreak vengeance upon those that continued to work. An attack was made upon the latter. They were defended by the police, who shot five rioters, arrested eleven, and dispersed the mob, which an hour before was addressed by Spies from the top of a freight-car. Spies went to his office, indited a "Revenge Circular," which was printed and circulated, summoning the workmen to arms to destroy the police. Another one, calling a meeting for the next day at Haymarket square, urged workmen to come armed and in full force. In the evening a large crowd assembled, and were addressed by Spies and others, when 180 policemen advanced and the crowd was ordered to disperse, whereupon a bomb was thrown into the midst of the police and exploded. Sixty-two policemen were wounded, one was killed on the spot, some others died of their wounds, and many were maimed for life. Great excitement prevailed in the city, and many arrests were made of those that were supposed to be instigators of the Haymarket massacre. All were discharged but seven--Spies; George Engel, a native of Hesse, Germany (b. 15 April, 1836): Oscar Neebe, a tinner (b. 2 July, 1850, and educated in Germany); Adolph Fischer, a printer, and native of Bremen, Germany (b. in 1861); Louis Lingg, a carpenter (b. 9 September, 1864, at Carlsruhe, Germany); Michael Schwab, a journalist (b. in Bavaria, 9 August, 1853); and Samuel Fielden (b. in Throckmorton, England, 25 February, 1847). These were indicted by the grand jury, and arraigned in court for murder on 21 June. Albert R. Parsons, a native of Montgomery, Alabama (b. 24 June, 1848), who had been indicted but had escaped arrest, gave himself up to be tried with his associates. The trial continued till 20 August. All were found guilty and all sentenced to death except Oscar Neebe, who was sent to the state-prison. They remained in Cook county jail till November, 1887. Louis Lingg committed suicide by exploding a dynamite bomb in his mouth on the 9th. The death-sentence of Schwab and Fielden was commuted to imprisonment for life on the 10th, and the remaining four were hanged on 11 November, 1887.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spinola, Francis B.

Edition of 1900.
​SPINOLA, Francis B., soldier, b. in Stony Brook, Long Island, N. Y., 19 March, 1821; d. in Washington, D. C., 12 April, 1891. After an English education he began business in New York city, where he was elected alderman and supervisor. He subsequently served as a member of the assembly and as a state senator, and in 1860 was a delegate to the Democratic National convention at Charleston, S. C. In 1862 he raised the Empire brigade of New York state volunteers, and on 1 Oct. he was commissioned as brigadier-general. He served in the National army till the close of the war, resigning on 8 June, 1865. He was subsequently connected with banking and insurance companies in New York city, returned to the state senate, and in 1886 was elected to congress for the term ending 3 March, 1889. He was re-elected.
# Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Spitzka, Edward Charles

Edition of 1900.
​SPITZKA, Edward Charles, physician, b. in New York city, 10 Nov., 1852. He was educated at the College of the city of New York, and graduated at the medical department of the University of New York in 1873, after which he studied at the medical schools in Leipsic and Vienna, serving in the latter as assistant in the laboratory of embryology and histology. On his return he settled in practice in New York, making a specialty of the treatment of internal diseases, particularly of the nervous system. In 1880-'3 he was professor of medical jurisprudence and the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system in the New York post-graduate medical school. He has been consulting physician of the Northeastern dispensary since 1884. Dr. Spitzka has made original investigations in the anatomy of the nervous system, and has discovered the interoptic lobes of saurians, the absence of pyramid tracts in the cetacea, and numerous facts in the anatomy of the human brain. He has been frequently consulted as a medical expert in cases where insanity or injury to the brain or spinal cord was a subject of litigation. Conspicuous among these was his attitude in the trial of President Garfield's assassin, where both prosecution and defence endeavored to retain his services, but, failing, secured his attendance through an attachment. He then testified to the prisoner's insanity, and was the only expert that did so. Dr. Spitzka is a member of various societies, has been secretary of the Society of medical jurisprudence and medicine since 1886, and was vice-president of the section in neurology at the Ninth international medical congress in 1887. In 1877 his essay on the somatic etiology of insanity gained the W. and S. Tuke prize, which is given in international competition by the British medico-physiological association, and in 1878, by his paper on the action of strychnine, he won the William A. Hammond prize, which is awarded by the American neurological association. He is the author of numerous contributions to medical journals, and was one of the editors of the “American Journal of Neurology” in 1881-'4. The sections on diseases of the spinal cord and on inflammation, anæmia, and hyperanæmia of the brain in William Pepper's “System of Medicine” (Philadelphia, 1887) were written by him, and he has published “Treatise on Insanity” (New York, 1883).