# Women of distinction/Chapter 17

CHAPTER XVII.
MISS NELLIE E. BROWN.
After all it would seem that rare musical talent is like the rare and gifted poet—"born and not made." Certainly there is in the musical being, as there is in the poetical being, something that is rather more natural than it is artificial, however much training and pruning it may require to develop it.
The subject of these lines evidently possessed natural ability, peculiar and rare, before she received the strong support and help of that special training that has added so much to the complete development and roundness of her most remarkable gift.
Miss Nellie E. Brown, of Dover, N. H., early began the onward march to eminence with such zeal and earnestness that she was soon the pride of all men who knew her enough to appreciate her ability and worth.
In speaking of her Mr. James M. Trotter uses the following:
A few years ago, while attending a private school in Dover, Miss Caroline Bracket, a teacher in the same, noticing that Miss Brown possessed a naturally superior voice, earnestly advised its fullest ​cultivation. This lady became her first music teacher. Diligently pursuing her studies, she made rapid progress. Being induced to take part in occasional school and other concerts, our subject soon became quite prominent in Dover as a vocalist, and was engaged in 1865 to sing in the choir of the Free-will Baptist Church of that city. Here she remained until November, 1872, at which time, having learned of Miss Brown's fine vocal powers, the members of Grace Church, Haverhill, Mass., earnestly invited her to become the leading soprano in their choir, offering her a liberal salary, besides the payment of her traveling expenses twice each week between Dover and Haverhill. This very complimentary invitation she accepted, and for four years her fine singing and engaging manners rendered her deservedly popular with the members and attendants of the church mentioned—people of fine Christian and general culture, before whom, in the public halls, she sang on several occasions.
In writing to a friend once she said, "My motto is 'Excelsior.' I am resolved to give myself up wholly to the study of music and endeavor, in spite of obstacles, to become an accomplished artist."
In keeping with this view she applied herself assiduously and soon entered the New England Conservatory of Music, and was soon invited by the manager to take part in the quarterly concert. Mr. Trotter says:
Here on two occasions, before large and highly cultivated audiences, with beautiful voice, correct method of expression, and ease, and grace of stage deportment—singing in Italian, music of a high order—Miss Brown won the most enthusiastic applause. Predictions of her complete success as a lyric artist were freely made by many connoisseurs. But these have not been her only appearances in Boston. She has many times sung at concerts in the finest music halls of the city before critical audiences, her charming rendition of the numerous English, Italian, French, Scotch and Irish songs in her rich repertoire making her one of Boston's favorite cantatrices.
​The Boston Traveller, April, 1874, said:
Miss Nellie E. Brown has for some mouths been the leadiug soprano at Grace Church, Haverhill, Mass., which position she has filled with eminent acceptance, and with marked exhibition of artistic powers.
The Gazette, of New York City, said, November 4, 1874:
Miss Nellie Brown, born and bred from the hills of New Hampshire, possesses a voice of rare power and beauty, which she has dilligently labored to cultivate and improve by close and unremitting study. She has also a rare charm of manner, which, united with her exquisite singing, won for her an enthusiastic reception.
The great popularity of this very excellent lady is not by any means due alone to musical ability. It is quite possible for one to have all the abilities of this woman, and yet some one else with much less ability could be more popular. Miss Brown possessed politeness, kindness and expression. She was sociable, not arrogant, but positive, and yet carried a Winning sweetness of temper and disposition.
No, ability alone does not always bring success or popularity, but it is one of the essential elements to success, and is, possibly, regarded by some as being of more importance than any other one element; yet, since it costs no more to possess all the necessary qualities than it does to possess a part, and since it pays far better to have them all, why not imitate Miss Brown and succeed as she has?
There is much more which might, with profit, be said of her more recent days and achievements, and certainly many more testimonials of later date, but want of space forbids at this late day, having failed until very recently to get such facts as we desired.