The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-26

ception OF Jenny Lind in this country common
theme upon which to string opinions, with re-
spect to oar social character, taste, and discern
ment in the fine arts Some of the newspapers are
witty upon the subject, as though they had caught
the spirit of the late Sydney Smith, who was ne |
yer so happy, as when he could indulge his hu-
morous vein against us. Others supercilousy |
grand, as if dignity and calm selfcontrOl were the
particular epjoyments ofEnglishmen Some others
furnish many valuable hints with regard to the
dency OF our population TO run into extremes OF feel
ing and prejudice. rather 10 beyond all ex-
uemes, into regions Of excitement so wild and
chaotic as 10 be almost Understandable. After making
several strong points upln the tyranny of the ma
jonty whose will is law, the Iinos says
1t is humilistipg to nation, which boasts that it
leads the van OF human improvement so little able
OF appTeciatipg the relative dignity and merit of differ
trate alteration at the feet Of who after all
IL merely first rate vocalist. sydney Smith reminds
the Penney that there are some things worth
living for besides gin sling and sherry ooober and
should have thought but for our experience TO the
contrary that it were needle to have informed the
oountrymep OF Franklin Washington and Charming,
that there are things worthy he admiration OF
great people than the OF producing sweet sounds
But what is stranger still than this moral oblquity is
that The possession OF this much priEs6 faculty by
Jenny Lind entirely taken tor granted by this
acute and calculating people who were so enraptured
By her musical powers before they had heard single
note OF her voice that verify believe ii at her rst
| n
hyena public opinion would have pronounced her
performance little superior TO the music of the
spheres. We totally unable TO account for this
palpable surrender OF all pretentons TO common sense
on the part of the American public till we fell in with
an article In the Ntw York Herald in which that jour
nal justly socitous for the dignity OF it's calling vim
dictates the American press from tins charge Of having
excited the American public to outrageous pitch
CT folly and self abasement.
There can be DO question that we are curious
people in our concrete form. We are like Words
worth's flock" forty feed like one" What our
neighbor thinks, we think. Whatexcites one citi-
zen, agiates another. Not man. woman or child
would be out of fashion, for all the world. The
Jenny Lind advent is precisely of those fresh
events 10 awaken sleeping enthusiasm not only in
cities, but TO send thrill 10 the remoest cottage in
the interior The coming in of the Navarno, or
pasteboard bonneis, was just as remarkable upon
the people, in its way They cost six cents each by
the gross, but were retailed by milliners at from
fifteen 10 twenty dollars during the first stage of
the fashionable fever. Before the rage was over,
every woman in the land set her heart upon a
paseboard bonnet-and she had it-some sooner,
some later. Nothing, then, was talked of
but Nayanno bonnets. The universally of en-
thusiasm is precisely similar with respect to
that great vocalist, Jenny Lind She is ali the
rage, east, west, north and south. There are no
limits 10 the admiration which she commands
Shakspere himself would not be listened to while
she sings, were he TO re-appear upon the earth
and everything else must fade, because we are not
apeolle 10 divide our alteration among many idols
There IL unity in eur ideas We circumscribe !
The whole present by one class of sensations. In
stead OF making Jenny Lind welcome by true /
arustIcsl appreciation of her merits we have bow
ed down to her as the most perfect of mortals. /
LNen young girl has been heard 20 say, with n /
shrewd reservation, elf were man, would |
spend my whole fortune in listening to the Night
lnghe, and would then go and hang myself"
thls expression of country girls excited i'm.
aglnation may seem very extravdgant, but the de-
gree Of admiration for the brilliant talents of Jenny
Lind is not less in "children of larger growth"
Thousands of men and women, bent on gratifying
thtlr excited curiosity, are restless day aud night
to catch an opportunity of speaking to the gifted
Jenny. They seem never to think of her comfort
bui merely Of their own qualification. Her tirae is
OF no value. Her peace and rest can be Of no
value. As she is an angel, she ought to be sleep
less and tireltss.
Now, We admit that we have not been charged
with extravaganza without some show Of Justice,
though we can explain the matter without much
difficulty. The fact is, that Barnum brought an
angel 10 this countu-just as he carried Tom
Thumb to England, 20 take captive the whole
British people, from Queen Victoria down TO the
humb!est dairy maid Nothing less than an angel
could have made us mad with excitement; but the
smallest puppet in all creation aroused the GU
riosity of all England and the people hung
upon General Tomb Thumbs speeches, cs
they never yet did upon those Of Field Mar
shall, the Duke Of Wellington He was no
sooner settled in Bond street, than his residence
was besieged daily, nay, hourly. He then. was
presented 10 the Queen, and exhibited himself ~
Egyptian Hal, where Blnum collected from the
excited populaee the chief part of that fortune
which hes since been used 10 secure the services
OF Jenny Lind in this country. Hence, il was,
through the fever OF Thumbism in England, that
we have had an excitement here. The one has
naturally arisen from the oher-ond Blnum has
been at the bottom Of the whole business, in both
countries. Thus, the Anglo-Slxon curiosity is
about os strong ore side Of The water as on the
other. The rage for novelty is not peculiar 10 this
country
The London Times, however, my be assured
that with all this excitement, there Is a vein Of
sound common sense running through the body
potc-thai there is, under the superficial exterior
Of excitation, chance for the APPRECIATION Of
some other talents. We have actually received
and encouraged another great vocalsi--and this
fact ought TO redeem our people. in some measure,
from the charges Of selfabasement" Without
any Of the indictments resored to by charlatanism,
the public have temporarily, and yet enthusiast.
cally, listened to the gifted parodi--sven while
portion Of the leaders Of fashion have made one of
their strongest attempts to crush her prospects in
This country. Modestly, quietly has che received
the highest end sincerest fonors Of the public
without the employment Of any Of the devices Of
Her own individual merits have
earned her through severe ordeal, and she has
come cut perfectly triumphant .yainiag her
ourcls BY her quiet virtues and trsnscendant taents
Alone while the public have been entitled to credit
or dscernment ON their plrtin her great success
There is hope for Us yet