Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-05
TIE Countess Of Essex

y AAs ~ AC+to 49, ~ J NSNAN-- /
butes to the New York Home Jour 7
nal the following "reminiscences: v
A name appears in the obituary f
of the London papers which ava !
kens a thousond pleasant recollec- ]
tons in my heart, and, suppose, S
in the heart of every Englishman |
old enough to connect the late
Countess of Essex with the once
excellent vocalist Kitty Stephens.
Before 1 left England, in the days
Of George III, who, in 1919, was
as physically blind to the outer
world as he was mentally obtuse,
before 1776, to the consequences of
his obstinacy, "Kitty" was in the
zenith of her fame. / knew her
we'll. A tall plump girl, with
bright eyes, and voice that would
have surpassed in its influence the
tabled lutte of Signor 0rpheus. A
good girl, a modest and not very
bad actress, considering that vo.
calists are never expected to do
more than sing, she was as much be-
loved by the profession as she was
adored by the multitude. Her
"Polly," in the Beggar's Opera,
surpassed that of the famous Mrs.
!. Ellington. Her "Mandore," in
Artaxerxes, completely put all
previous singers into the shade.
But it was in her rendering
of the English ballads that her
great strength lay. Robin Adair"
entranced all hearers. Until l
heard the air on Friday evening
last, interpreted by a lady member
Of the Windsor Dramatic Club, at
the Masonic Temple in Twenty
third street, l never could be persua-
}. ded that it was possible to revive
n the feelings with which the adora-
n BILE Kitty Stephens agitated me
! more than "fifty years since" Well,
! l left old England; seven years
later | returned. But the exquisite
balladist had left the stage and the
! public concert-room. She had had
U many suitors in her time. Hand
Y and heart were freely offered by
iS iS men of all classes, who could ap-
preciate her worth, her embonpoint,
3 and her voice. There was no sgttOr,
however, to suit her. At last the
( Young Earl of Essex, as attractive
a sprig as his ancestor who bewitch-
q ed Queen Bess, conceived the idea
= of possessing himself Of Queen
II Kitty. He sent heran emblazoned
card, and begged that she would
rS write con what terms" he might
re, be allowed to hear her sweet'voicC
10 by day and night, The card wa
T returned with thesimple superscrip
IN! ton: p" Countess of Essex" Th,
nly earl did not hesitate, He led hel
an an to the altar to adorn his dwelling
iS3g and convert the gay Aaneuse to
the deyotee Of the Joys of home. IL
si Ss was now to realize what she haC
il.e' sung, as no one has been able t.
on sing half so touchingly: "There'
lias nEa no place like home"
Kitty was the first representativ
of " Olari,p in poor John Howar
Payne's dream, and her {" HON,
s. SCI Sweet Home" re-demanded thre
M times every night, and sung i
oIt A every corner Of the United King
lthI dom, the colonies and the Unite
Z. States, is to this hour the ballad pi
en- ss excellence with which domest
- Joys are fossilized, l saw Il
d Countess forty years after | fir
n left England, at the home Of a.
other countess, who, like hersel
had risen from the comparative o
scurity of an Irish brewers daug
ter mot such u brewer as Guinnes
to become the wife of the olde
soldier and field marshal Of Il
British army. / yentured to a
- her if she would favor me-a pia'
was in the room-by reviving t
~ recollections of "Robin Adair,p
n Home, Sweet Home" or " ri
:" and Protect the Slave" another
her delicious hits. She replie
,. aIf Thought it would crafty "
/ would do SO; but / have no Ions
8 the voice which made those thin
'ky popular, and if they impressed J
four fa1orably, then you had better
disturb The delusion." "The il