The Republican journal., 1875-06-10
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
BOSTON,, June

BOSTON, June I, 1879.
1t is always interesting to know how man
gets along in the world, especially if he started
pretty low down in life and crept up step by
step by means of his own industry to fame and
fortune. l lately heard a story of George L.
Brown, the wel-known painter of so many
beautiful italian landscapes, full of soft atmos-
phere and delicious color. He has his home i'll
South Boston, on the heights. In the very top
is his studio overlooking the harbor on one
side and the whole stretch of country on the
other. He chose this elevated and secluded
spot to study sky effects and to keep himself
away from the envious disparagements and
jealouses of artistic circles. In 1910 Mr.. Brown
ran away from home and sailed for Europe.
! He had in his pocket only twenty five dollars
| which a gentleman friend had given him for
| his passage. He became acquainted with the
captain, a man well-known in Boston now
and to him Brown used to unfold his future
plans and tell Inn what he wanted to do and
| what he hoped to achieve. But the captain
was practical man, and he could see nothing
practical in art. 50 he talked dScouragingly
| to the art enthusiast He advised him to go
| back home and pick out some honest business.
! He ridiculed Browns ambition as ''boSh,"
and harshly declared that what he felt he could
do was all elbow" and that artists We're set
of miserable scallawags any way. Brown felt
of course touched to the quick, but he was not
shaken in his purpose, and the captain, though
he refused to be convinced of the feasibility of
| the schemes, still he would not let Brown leave
the steamer till he had taken three guineas
from him, and received his good wishes. So
with only fifteen dollars the artist found him
self set down alone in Europe. He went to
Rome. There he staid for twenty years, and
| there he worked sixteen hours every day. In
1860 he returned to Boston. The same year he
had an exhibition of his paintings at the Athe
naeum Gallery. While the artist stood on the
opening day of the exhibition palette in hand
putting few finishing touches to Il picture
which had got bruised in moving, n gentleman
entered the gallery and going up to him said
SIS this Mr.. Brown, the artist" The voice
startled the painter at once, and looking up he
graspcd the hand Of the stranger, and eXcaim-
ed, Good God. its Captain Blank" "Well
how is it now" said Mr.. Brown after the
greeting was over, ''was it all 'bo>h and
returned the captain, laughngly, Then the
artist told the captain that he attributed all his
success in life to him. 1t was all due he declar
ed to the captains stern advice and bitter
taunts, which goated him to his uttermoSt eX-
ertinn and Il determination to be something,
and to the friendly protler of the three guineas
George l.. Brown is now siNty-two years Old,
and he works diligently every day and walks
five miles besides Consequently, he is hale and
in full possession of his powers.
Won Bulow, the great European pianist, who
is coming to this country in the fail, is to make
his first appearance in this city, instead of New
York, where it has been the custom to first give
a sight of distinguished foreign artists. lie will
make his debut here in October and it is under
stood that he will use the Chckering piano eX-
clusiyely while i'll this country. Rubenstein
played only on the Steinway instrument Won
Bulow has lost all his property through the
treachery of his manager in England, in whom
he placed complete confidence. 1t is said that
he will receive $4,000 for his nine mouths
engagement in the United States. Mr.. + G.
Packard, young tenor, who several years ago
sang very acceptaby in popular concerts and
oratorio, has just returned from Europe where
he has been studying opera for the past three
years under Italian masters. He is protege
of Mr.. Eben Jordan, that is, the latter gentle
man paid the expenses of his musical education,
and that of a friend with promising bass voice
who went abroad at the same time. Mr.. Pack
ard has made an engagement with the Carl Rosa
English opera troupe, and will go back to Eng
land in a few weeks. Mr.. Jordan has given
several Young ladies also 4 start in the musical
profession, by aiding them to go abroad and
study. Miss Sally Barton, of Salem, is perhaps
the most promising of the number, who is, ere
long, expected home. Report says, however,
that because of these instances of benel olcnce
Mr.. Jordan is solicited much oftener than is
agreeable, or would be possible, to help other
young persons in a similar way, many of whom
perhaps have no other qualification Of success
than a voice fitted to sing simple ballads in Il
little cottage parlor. 1t is one thing to borrow
money, and another thing to pay it back, but
the latter part receives too little consideration
from young ladies who have never known what
it is to earn penny. Miss Matilda Phillips,
sister Of Adelaide, the wcll-known contralto, is
soon to return home from her foreign studies,
which she has been able to pursue by the gen
erous help of her sister. The latter, by the
way, was aided at the beginning of her career
by a small circle of personal friends and ad-
mirers, who have always been proud Of her
noble efforts in behalf of herself and family
The two sisters will in all probability appear
! together in opera next season.
Men appear to take as naturally to dinners as
Il source of amusement as women do 10 latting
and worsted work Did ever any body hear of
their ''good times but that eating, or drinking,
was Il prominent feature of the programme:
Certainly not. 1t is the only way they have,
too, of celebrating memorable occasions. An
engagement was recently the occasion celebrat-
ed after this fashion here, by three young men
who have been in the habit of taking their
breakfasts and dinners together at Parkers, for
the sake of sOciability, and economy, too, very
likely. The one who is engaged is to be mar
ried soon, and during the warm weather it is
his intention to board i'll the country town
whittier his betrothed has betaken herself. AS
he was to break up the little party that had
met daily, and would be married before coming
back again to town, it was deemed the correct
little dinner, including wines. They had many
courses, but it transpired that the solids were
| sighted, while sauterne, sherry. burgundy
champagne and brandy We're consumed as
though the trio had laid a wager to exhaust the
! supply. They labored under the Impression
that they We're having Il fine time. Happily
there is a limit to the absorbing capacity of
young men, however it may be with the more
advanced in years. The dinner ended, the
youths started forth to walk Oft the effects of
the mixed beverages, but that hardly seemed
to them jolly enough termination to ga high
time and so they repaired to the room of one
Of the number who kept bachelors hall in an
apartment building. To turn every thing up
side down seemed to be part of the pro-
gramme for having ''high time and in car
| rxri,,c tI,c