Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-10-02
Life and Character OF Jenny Lind.


| New York Observer of last week. II is from the
pen Of the Rev. Dr. Baird Ii will be read with in
terest as coming from reliable source 1t will be
seen that it scatters the winds some OIL fables
which the newspapers have given respecting her pa
rentage, sailor brother, etc.
! The subject Of this brief sketch was born in the
city OF Stockholm, in the parish of ST. Clara, in
which church she was baptized Her parents,
thought not in affinent stances are (or they
still live to rejoice In the wonderful success of their
beloved daughtersl much respected by all who know
them lier father Is member Of the legal profess
sion Her mother for many years kept boarding
school for girls BY former marriage she had a
daughter, who died before reaching adult age. Jeh-
ny Lind is her only child by second marriage Both
parents are Protesluts, and are members of one of
The churches - Stockholm. In the same church the
subject this notice made her first communion ac
cordng TO the practice Of The Lutheran church, the
National church Of Sweden and of all other Scand-
navan countries. Of the same church she has con-
llnued a member since her fifteenth or sixteenth
| year. E
From childhood she displayed remarkable talent
for music, and Encouraged by her friends to cu-
tlyate her extraordinary powers. In her ninth or
tenth year, she attracted the attention ofan old teach
| er OF music, named Croelius, who proved to be a
true friend He secured for her the friendship of
Count Pucke, the administrator of the Royal thea
ire in Stockholm, who admitted her to the musical
school attached to that theatre, where she made
rapid progress Al the early age of fifteen, (about
twelve years ago,) she commenced singing in pub
lie, aud became great favorite with the music low
ing people of that city. But was not long before
her voice failed, and she had to give up the stage
Years of disappointment passed away, during which
Eshe aided her mother in her school, At length her
voice began to return, and her hopes revived
The good old CroeiiuS now advocated her 0oing IN
Paris, where she spent portions of lS4l-42, enjoying
the tuition OF Garcia the greatest musical teacher in
that city. Her efforts were unceasng TO master
thoroughly the principles of the SCIENCE and to i'm
prove and perfect her voice
Those who suppose that she owes all to nature.
know but little otthe immense labor which she be-
slowed for many long years upon the acquisition of
the principles of music and the perfecting Of her
yolce-whlch recovered in time all its early sweet
ness and beauty and acquired its present astonisl-
ing hexbility and strength
In the winter of I843-44, she commenced in Ber
n her wonderful career as public singer, and soon
acquired great celebrity In Germany. In the sum-
mer of 1884, she returned to Stockholm, where she
was received with unbranded demonstrations of af-
fection and of honor Aud without going into mi
mute account of her musical tours on the continent
Is sufficient to say that after having repeatedly Wis
tied Vienna, Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm aud
other cities in the Teuonic portions Of the continent
she appeared in England in the spring of Al Dur
ing that summer and two succeeding ones she sang
in London and most of the chief places in Great
Great Britain and Ireland. Everywhere her triumph
was complete: Eachssueceeding year her popular
ity became, fpossible, greater
AT first. and for several years, Miss Lind sang in
the theatres,-in the E.Bat operas Of Meverbeer
Donzetti, Verdi, Mozart Mendessohn, Rossiini. etc .
and was scarcely more Distinguished for her singing
than her acting For the last two years she has
Il rrn1t -t.,.
away from many things in theatrical perlorances-
for which she ls i.d an increasing repugnSnce
and lay out her strength upon the choice NOR
ceaar of the best operas, such as the Somnanlbola
Norma, Der Freyschutz Camp of Silesia, La Fiulia
del Regginlento, Ernani Don Giovanni. ect qh;
course enables her to Introduce the beautiful national
songs of Sweden, in which her inn,itabe powers an.
pear to as great advantage in the most scientific
pieces. BY pursuing this course, she is enabled TO
control with more ease her own movements. and
command with more certainty the company which
sac would prefer 1t is probable that this course she
viii exclusively pursue, As long as she continues TO
sing in public. These concerts regulated as sbe
will have them regulated, together with some Of the
best Oatorios, evidently furnish what her purify of
heart and of life prefers and demands nor can She
desire greater success Han she has found in This
course.
We de not feel called upon to express ouropinion
respecting Miss Lind's silgug-a subject on which
we possess no claims TO be heard but we think
that all who hear her will agree that her unaffected
and natural manner, her clear comprehension of The
ofwha she sings, Ter heartfelt appreciation Of
that sense, the absopio5of her soul in the subject
all combine with the wonderful tones of her voice
to give her the irresistible influence which she pos
sesses over her audiences TO this must be added
the charm of her excellent character-her good
sense, her singular freedIm from pride and vanity
her sweet aiiabillty OF rlnner, the great benevo-
lence OF her heart, her Unaffected respect for religion
her pous belief IN the truth and suficiency of Chris
1anlty, and her strong iesre that her influence
should be in favor of all that is good. Probably
the world has never cen person in similar |
circumstances who has possessed disposition so
truly benevolent. af
Having made liberal though not extrayagant
provision Tor her own futre support, well as for
the support OF her honor4 parents, who reside in |
sweden, (not IN Swltzernd, as some Of the papers |
have lately stately IN tn neighborhood of Stock
holm, she has within the hst few years, given what
may be called immense ans to charitable objects
1t is said, on what we beeve to be good authority
that during her visits to Hgand nearly sixty thou
sand pounds sterling, or 1T much short Of three hun
bred thousand dollars, vre secured for objects of
charity in that country bIer efforts. And although
she desires to appropriaebe ayais of her visits 10
our country, to the pronflon of the education off
poor children in her matte land, yet she gave the
prlncey of ten thousdl dolIars-the first frpits
of her exertons among us TO various objects Of be-
nevoence in the city Of Nv York.
This is indeed nobIe L the same time we fear
that this generous act will ccasion her no little en-
barrassment; for it has 'ompted, we are sorry To
say, host ofpeople to aby to her for help for al
most every imaginable ppose; are sure that
many are doing this for wpt ofproper consideration
4 u H.. 1.