The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-14

DEscRIBkD IN


From ths New YORK Literary World
Mlss Catharsns Hays.
pEscRIBEp IN A LETTER s. C. HALL.
You ask me 10 tell you all | know OF Catharne
Hays who is about visit you. OF her artistic fame you
can Judge for yoursevesto that my praise can add but
little You are told that her voice high pure soprano,
rich and meIodious and that her exquisite shake is Ma
lures own gift inasmuch she has possessed II rnce
chdhood-a OF fairy gift, bestowed in her cradle
With one exception her voice ia delicious 10 my ear
than any voice in the world il goes into my heart, and
brings tears to my eyes and remember II and recall It,
il is soft and tender SO full very full OF expression
moreover is 50 astonshngly improved, !. mas gained
power without losing portion OF It's intense sweetness
You say am partial judge and confess II Al once
do not any harm in being " partial Judge" when
am partial 70 artistic as well as moral excellence
Deeply as admire music cannot separate The singer
from the woman and now you why my musical praise
would be esteemed OF little worth by musical people.
OF Catharne Hays, as my countrywoman, am Justly
proud am proud Of her gentle yet sustained energy
of character OF her guileess nature, OF her modest
dignity, OF her devotion to her family, Of her womanly
fame, which is as spotless as that OF Made. Lind ad.
mire her. respect her, as do all who by strength OF
character and talent, their way not only to admira
,on but esteem, who not spoiled by Haery or chilled
by the experience which all who live public life must
have of nsincerty and double dealing,
can as you DESIRE tell yoa all know about her, be-
"all" is to her honor. You ask me the very
womanly question OF, SIS she handsome ! answer,
her head well shaped her figure and movements
exceedingly graceful and in one expressive word lady
like " her in concert room or IN general society,"
you would hardly imagine that grave dignhed lady was
possessed of both wit and humor and really child
like in her home She has used well her tme and s &C.
compished and informed in more things than music The
fair cantatrce, but it like her in the least. and
would do for Miss Anybody as truly as for Miss Caharne
Hays.
Ii fortunate for her that her w0od notes Wild at
racted The attention Of that kind hearted and generous
man, the late honorable and Right Rev: Edmund Knox,
ynE horh birth Ihnra
legend that, while boating with some OF his family on
the Shannon their attention was attracted by the young
and delicious voice of girl singing OF the houses
whose gardens have the good fortune to stretch along the
banks OF that magnificent river.
"Irs only that bird OF a child" said one OF the boat
men, whose aunt or some one belonging 70 her, lives
in the Earls house, and little Kitty. the darling, gets out
of the noise of Patrick street and away from her CON-
panions down yonder among the trees, and sings her
songs God bless her. TO the waters She sung before she
could speak; but she's shy young bare, and the
voice leaves her when she's asked 70 sing Whist listen
TO how she quivers in the Lass Of Gowre and sure.
my Lord. if you o1ed her to do she couldn't It isn't
the strength out OF her voice The only pleasure the lit
tie delicate craytur have in life is with her book
and her songs and its just like being in Heaven to hear
how she sings in The moonlight" triumphant shake,
with which the young Calharine copcluded. "And now
she's Lady Gowre," still astonished and delighted
the boating party proved that poor Paddys eulogy was
deserved, and better than all determined the good Bishop
to learn more OF the siren OF the Shannon.
The Bishop, like you, wished TO know alp about
Ca,harine Hays He found her living with her mother
and sister in respectable but comparatively humble
cumstances He did not hesitate to invite her to his
house and introduce her Her first step IN society was
well and firmly made. She was presented by an accom-
plshed prelate OF the Church Of England to his family
and friends and the position he her she mas kept
both abroad and at home The very elite OF your society
may believe that they receive lady who has been
ceved by the most fastdous within the sancy Of their
own homes with respect, and treated with affection.
The young Catharne, before the Bishop heard her
had attracted the attention OF Limerick lady Of much
musical knowledge, and she had aided her taste and
gwen hee4nuch information concerning musical things
She had played to her and sung with her but we very
much doub, if either this early friend or the good Bishop
had any idea Of what Miss Hays would become, even
Dublin, under the tuition and as an inmate OF the family
Of Sgnor Sapo Mrs Sapo having agreed to receive her
in her house.
II is positive fact that. though this young lady was
placed under Signor Sapio's the lst of April
1885, such was her beautiful quality OF voice, and SO
wonderful her attention and progress, that on the 81 OF
the month (May) she made her first appearance in
public, trembling and imid Shrinking and sensitive as
she her first public performance gave her friends
surance OF the trumphs that were in store for her Some
months after she visited her native city, when the Bshol
OF Limerick gave private concert TO prove 10 his friends
that he no false prophet. When Miss Hays returned
TO Dublin her udlc,ous master was obliged to check her
ardor and limit her practice; for her artistic industry knew
no bounds
In ls4l, exactly years ago. List declared he knew
OF no voice more expressive than that OF Miss Hays and
that he doubted IT. amongst the sgnes OF The day. there
equal extent and volume, what hers would
day become. After another year Of hard study and
public singing she again visited Limerick, entreated
permission Of her relatives and friends to add dramatic
musical study, earnestly desiring visit Paris receive
lessons from Emmanuel Garcia. II was easy matter
to obtain this permission but il obtained, and after
eighteen months close and study under this
ter or fu renown, he declared he could do more
for his pupil. but advised her proceed TO Milan, the
best schoo for the lyric stage Here her fame spread
aud her debut took place at Marsees in Puritani
During the earlier the audience painfully
lent but al asthey could not help 1.-THE disbelief
foreign audience had in an English singer swept
away, and iumultuous applause succeeded the icy
codness OF her reception. She next played LUCIA
which, sm told she renders most charmingly, bu,
have not it, | imagine how exquisiely she
would play that any womanly character requiring
grace and feeling, if she acted she felt Her taste is
essentially dramatic; do not mean by that that Caha-
ne Hyes in society, would be pointed out actress
Not at all She would be looked upon. If not known,
ladylike, elegant, and graceful woman but, when
called forth in any way her manner OF telling story
an incident, or in reading repeating, is highly dra-
matte She cannot help it the spirit OF what she reads
upon ber the Jest OF her story sparkes in her
eyes, It's pahos calls forth the musical wall of her
so ch speak voice, and the scene Is brought before
YOU seemingly without effort To Tx your attention
display her talents. She afterwards triumphed al
La Ssdto she there recalled actually twelve times,
and covered with flowers; there ALSO she called
:" the pearl OF the heatre"a pretty name which was
warranted by the aress and decacy OF her appearance,
At Vienna she greatly received and at Florence the
r 80 t,-r.~