The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-18
Our London Correspondence.
LONDON, March %, 1850.
jenny Lind.


LONDON, March %, 1850.
Jenny Lind.
believe that gave you in my last letter, an ac-
count of the success which attended the recovery
of Jenny Lind's voice-one of those truly wonderful
incidents in her life which approximate, in no slight
degree, upon the marvellous, and this the more so
when it is taken into consideration in connection
with the kindly and modest nature of the young
contatrice This wonder of nature and of art-for
such she literally may be caed-is not of those
rough and stormy natures to whom success is won
by their hardy and unblushing efforts. She is as
retiring in her temper and her whole disposition,
it would be possible for woman of such high tai
ents TO be and indeed, in her habits of life, par
takes more of the retiring child than it would well
be possible for you to conceive. She is an accom-
plished needle-woman, and loves nothing better
than 10 pass her mornings IN the quiet and natural
occupations of her sex either in tambour-working
netting, or in some other graceful and tranquil
employment Never possibly would you meet or
know any one who more thoroughly and wholly
partook of all the gentler and more feminine cha
racteriscs of the homely woman. This, perhaps,
has added more 10 the effects produced by her
splendid and SURPRISING talents than any of her other
qualities IL naturally endeared itself 10 the English
nature when brought INTO contrast with the restless
and more perverse nature of other public singers.
Saving Sontag, none perhaps have ever borne such
a reputation a private individual, as that which
has been accorded Jenny-a reputation, too, which
has won her the greater love wherever she has been
known. Grsi has had her lovers, and is even now lv
ing with the last of them, Mario, while her husband
is separated from her. Scandal touched even Pisa
roni, who in her day bore the reputation OF being the
ugliest woman ever seen upon the Italian stage.
Nor was Malibran free from the whispers and
anecdotes, which destroy character for virtue.
Indeed, with the exception, as we before said, OF
SAnfn ttnf hal raj in, .ar
England and earned high and striking name by
the force of of her genius, who has not afforded
the public the evil influence Of her example. This
has justified the enthusiasm of the public in favor
Of Jenny Lind, and given her name more illus
trlous, even for her virtues, than for the genius
which has made her the greatest Of living vocasts.
Fortunately, she can still sing her own way into
the hearts Of those who listen 10 her; and the en-
thusasm respecting her, having assumed form OF
expression unknown in England since the time of
Catalan, has surpassed all that was ever shown
in behalf Of any vocalist upon this side OF the At
laniic.
However. 10 return 10 the slight sketch of her
career, which am hastily jotting down for you.
IL was in Berlin that last left her.
Myerbeer's friendly influence soon procured
for the girl, whose voice had been so sngu-
larry and Unexpectedly restored 10 her. the chance
Of appearing as pTima donna. Singular, indeed,
is IL that, from the period in which Jenny first APP
peared upon the stage, she has never lost the
friendship Of one who was attached To her. Or
why, indeed, should We say, since the time in
which she first appeared From her childish days;
from the period in which the old cdpci-mcsfoT gave
her her rst instructions in the culture Of her voice,
II has been the same, until the present moment, m
which her voice has but TO be heard in the concert
room, or the theatre, to draw down the plaudis OF
all who listen TO its exquisite and thrilling accents.
The night Of her hrst appearance on the Prussan
stage, in principal character, ut length arrived.
Nisscn was forgotten as completely rs though she
had never been IN existence. The public was cx-
cited to the utmost You heard OF nothing but
Jenny Lind.
Flow will Jenny Lind sing the part Of Alice p
Better, far better than she sung the scraps from
IL, which marked her first success"
have heard her al rehearsal
" low did she sing y
ENquisely, diyinsy"
Such were the questions and answers, which
succeeded each other, amongst the inhabiants Of
the Piussiln capital. When the night came, the
house was crowded from the top to the bottom
she appeared. aud let only say. that her success
was complete. Never befoie had the inhabitants
Of Berlin. listened 10 sweet voice displayed with
such superb end maichlcss science. She was re-
called before the curtain. at the termination Of each
act. and. VI the close of the evening, she
noncd before 10 some fifteen or sixteen times.
Her success was now a settled thing. Every
night that she was announced TO sing. the house
was cfCwded from the top 10 the bottom. Applause
received her when she apPcarcd. and when she
made her exit We had almost said, every note
dwcli upon by her voice. received lis tribute Of adj
nraion. Now critical attention was keenly alive
10 ell her cXcellenccs nor was IL merely critical
tlfhuou NinCn she cNCtted on the part OF
the regular hGtHHts of the theatre. With them il
was an unmeasurcd and uncaculiting enthusiasm.
They dwell upon her voice and upon her execution
with rapture. They measured al other vocal ex-
cellcnCc by hers. II Nisscn alluded 90. she was
alluded 10 with reference 10 Jenny. The poverty OF
her torfgft was remarked and compared with the
avish wealth and richness Ct those which the
'Swcedish nightingale" for Il was in Berlin that
This epithet was hrst bestowed upon her-besowcd
upon her yocalisn. viardoi Garcia was engaged
To succeed her, when Jenny should leave Berlin.
for the fret time. and those who had heard her.
employed themselves upon the comparison Of the
two sonRsircsses. They decided that Jenny was her
equal IN science. and far than her equal in the
possession Of the organ with which nature had
blessed her-a decision which was soon to be
swept away in the face Of Jennys after success
her 81 The head If ell the yocalsts Of the present
day Shortly after this. she was required TO sing
at court, and the king If Prussia himself. warmly
cCmplinencd her on the transcentcnt merits OF
her vocaligation. Subsequently. he was to intro
ducc her himself 20 the English Queen. az the
great Bonn festival in 1875. and when il was az
length decided that she should appear IN England,
md she he'd accepted the engagement proposed
her Ivy Mr.. Lumley; II was with his own hand
hat letter was written 10 the English court. de-
iring her majesty 10 show every possible kindness
q enc q the most modest, exemplary and talented
myers. which any time had yet produced.
During this season NJ Berlin, she bad also ap-
cared in several other operas, and invariably
With The or an even increasing degree of sue
ess. such. indeed. was the ATTRACTION cN'fciSed
" her name. over the people. that n she had a
old, thousands Of cards were len foI her. with
nquirics afier her health, and once when she met
With slight accident. we have heard that more
han five thousand cards were len at her house.
nd thousands of INQUIRIES made. respecting the |
htnccs q her hcing able 20 ma he her next ep- |
coruncc in public. Such were but some Of the |
Incidents attending the first blush Of Jenny Lind's
uccess. We've 10 dwell uYon or 20 recount the 1
gholc that have come to my ears. IL would ill
fOumc. Size soon closed her first engagement at
ierhn, and scc1e Of theatres were anxious TO Sc
ure her. She must, however. return to Stock
lom. ard show her fellow citizens that her voice