The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-09-17
jenny Lind.

The correspondent New EagIdu3er'writes |
to the Lynn Phone er' the following account !
Of his visit TO the Opera to hear the Swedish
Nightingale. He has described the furions
crush at the door, (wherc he waited two
hours to secure an entrance and proceeds:
The first act yet yelled and
roarcd itself away III this obtSreperous fash
ion: the second began and continued for a
while, as if it was ''the same old Coon
and then, gliding III like a star, beaming and
beautiful, appeared the genius Of the eve
ming, Jenny Lind. The moment the first
ray of light radiated from her glowing face,
every eye in that "uncounted multitude"
shone like fire, and chorus Of welcome
came forth from their uplifted voices which
made the poor girl tremble ''like reed sha-
ken in the Storm The storm over, with
her clear blue eye bent on the stage, and
the mellow light of her countenance shaded
by her soft trcsscs. the beautiful songstress
advanced towards the footlights. and made
her silent and trcmulous acknow Judgments,
exchanged look of confidence and Joy
with the rapt thousands before her, and then.
with the ease, and freedom, and Grace. and
sweetness Of bird, poured out stream Of
simple, clear, sustained melody, so natural
and so full OF pathos and beauty, that to have
received it except in perfect silence, would
have been actual sacrilcge. And this was
a fit prelude TO what followed at the instant.
and was continued from time TO time (aiter
the Interruptions. and, too often, with the
insane 'aCcOmpanimentS" of the orchestral
throughout the evening. Tie opera was
Roberto Ia DGroIO. In parts Of it, and cs-
pecially towards the close, her voice was
fuller and more powerful than at first;
though it was, after all, the quiet yet rich
and mclUdious cadences Of her eIoltioH
which touched me the most deeply.
What enhanced the effect Of the whole
performance was her child-lihe simplicity
Of expression and manner: her cnGIe free,
dom from the distortion OF CountcrancC. tx
tavagancc Of costume. and wild. Shr!cky.
painS-taking. brcath-catchimg effort nj the
unnatural and startling, which render most
operate performances 50 disgusting. What
ever is the fact how much-ur- littlG-SoCyer
the YHid pro gUO has TO do with Jenny Limbs
singing: be her connection between her
bird-nutes and bank-nOtes never 50 in
tmatc one thing is plain, she appears
TO sing for the same reason that bird
docS-hccauSc she iOrcS il and when
she gives her soul up to the mastery and
mystery of song, and becomes inspired by
its sacred influence, She seems utterly lost
to all sublunary thoughts. and her spirit
scars on unialtCrihg wing, aud with unbru-
ken and cXulting voice. until. ike the lark.
she is lost to our sight, and her voice comes
trembling down TO US from the still depths
above, like 4 stray note from some angelic
choir
1t is a vocc--that voice OF Jenny Lind'S
which might wake up the forgotten har
monies of the most wretched heart, and hull
10 sleep the icrccst passions which ever
rent the human breast. nc'er shall listen
TO ..itS like again." wish could describe
it. II seemed to me chiefly remarkable for
its untaught simplicity and sweetness of
manner, and the perfect purity OF lis tone.
nave heard voices Of more p0wer-more
physical power, mean.-but never one of
so line quality. She has faculty of trillinG,
as it is called, or chipping, which is most
marvellous. At such times the "Shake" Of
her voice-thouGh continued for an incredi-
BILE length oitime-is as gentle as ii,he crys-
tai stream of her out-guShing melody We're
only made tremulous by a passing salute
from the soft breath of heaven. A stream
of sparkling water tripping over pcbby
bank. and singing its pretty quaver to the
wooing flowers, does not suggest more OF
graceful and unlalorcd beauty than the
transparent flow of this Swedish Nightin-
gales voice, as it runs, upon silver foot,
over the glad aud yielding eamut. so with
all her movements, which are grace and &c
MUS pcrsoniied. From the moment She
lights, ike fairy, upon the stage, till upon
the wings of some transporting melody. she
is borne from our sight. every eye is rvetcd
upon her, and every heart bushes its small
pulse in silent admiration Il had well nigh
written adoration) Of her graceful move
mcntS. was interested TO observe that, al
though the Queen herself entered the house
during the opera, few persons took any spe-
cial notice of her. Here and there a double
barrelcd opera glass was aimed at her, but
as a rule. all Tie optical power of the house,
double barelcd and single. straight eyed,
Squnt-cyed. and shcCp-eyed, was expended
upon Jenny Lind.
Thomas jefferson Iayl or, eldest daughter
OF Gen. Taylor, is now the wife OF Col. JEFF
fcrson Davis, lately the commander Of the
LIST Regiment of Mississippi infantry. The
oddly of the name Thomas jefferson being
given TO a female, is thus explained by q
friend. The old general, in his younger
DAYS rot married, and was so rrCnt an adj