Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-01-19
MISCELLANY.
Madame Mara,
4 CELEBRATED SINGER OF THE LAST CENTURY,

Sharpe's Magazine contains an article
(copled into the Lining Age) entitled "Pas.
sages from the Life of A German Singer OF
the Last Century''-one whose name, now
utterly forgotten was then familiar as
household word to the lips of all the beauty
and fashion of Christendom; while, In prl-
yate. her virtues bore strong resemblance
to Jenny Lind the idol Of the present day.
The article is too long for our limits, but
We give the following interesting extracts /;
"In l749, that year so signalized by the
birth of Goethe, Elizabeth Schmahling, the
wife of poor music teacher, in Cassei, died
in childbirth, leaving her husband a sickly
infant the child of his old age. Contrary
to all expectations, the little creature strug-
6led through its early infancy, almost to the
disappointment of her remaining parent,
whose paternal feelings were deadened by
poverty, and the reflection that tins little
worthless life had been purchased by that
of his beloved companion. AS her father
was too poor to command attendance OF any
kind, the neglected child passed the long
hours of his absence in perfect solitude,
locked in an almost unfurnished apartment,
and her poor little feet fastened to great
chair. One evening, just after she had
completed her fourth year, as Schmahling
was returning, weary and heavy of heart,
to his humble abode, his step was arrested
on the stairs by the sound of scale IN rnu-
sic, distinctly ana perfectly played, pro
ceedlng from the prison-room of his little
ailing daughter
He listened again. Yes! he was not
mistaken-he had the key of the door-no
one could be there but the sickly child,
whose existence he had felt to be so sore a
burden. A new happiness, that of faith
ers pride and Joy, visited the desolate heart
of the poor old man, and, entering softly,
he found that the little Elizabeth had man
aged to reach an old violin whence she
drew the sounds which had so unexpected
ly greeted her fathers cars.
"Now began new life for these two hu-
man beings-a life of happy companion
ship. 1t would have been fine study for
a painter to watch the young musician, still
almost an infant, propped up on her high
chair; her features, to which even the COM
mon beauty of childhood. had been denied,
lighted up with the spirit Of harmony, as
the violin obeyed the little trembling fin
gers, and sent forth its sweetest sounds ;
close by, on the only other seat the room
could boast, sat the now happy father, urg-
ing on and encouraging the little one; at a
very difficult passage producing from his
capacious pocket rosy-cheeked apple, a
rare dainty for Elizabeth, with which her
exertions were to be rewarded"
The talents ofthe child were assiduously
cultivated, and as she grew up she became
famous as singer At length she receiv-
ed the appointment of private singer to
Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The
narrative proceeds
''In 1772, Elizabeth's evil fate brought her
into contact with one of the most fascina-
ting and most unprincipled men of his time
Mara, the violoncellist to Prince Henry
of Prussia. In vain did her friends warn
her; in vain were anonymous letters sent
from every part to expose the true charac-
ter of her pretended lover; she listened
only to the protestations of her handsome
fancs. On her twenty-fourth birthday,
Elizabeth laid petition for the royal as
sent to her marriage before Frederlck.-
The answer, which she found written in
pencil upoE the margin, was more charac-
teristic than courteous it was-'You are
fool, and must be mole reasonable. You
shall not make that fellow your husband.
After repeated entreaties, and the delay of
half year, Frederick was brought to give
a most unwilling permission. The marriage
was soemnzed. and now, in the midst of
her success and honor, began the secret