New-York tribune., 1882-03-12
LILLE DoW4GER COUNTESS OF EsSEX.
From TAe Lonloa relegraph.

From me I0adoa telegraph.
There has just died, at the great age OF eighty
eight Katherine, Countess DOwager OF Essex
Forty-four years have elapsed since the deceased
lady was ennObled 10y her marriage with the hlth
Earl of Essex and for forty. three years she had
been widow. Ii is not the demise oi a leader ol
fashion that we are recording. The late Dowager
Countess had not been like the late sophia Count
Brownlow, the spectator aud the ehronicier OF
still happily surviving NiscOuntesS ComOernere is
the IclIct OF one of those PeninSuar heroes whose
names yet stir with the sound OF trumpet tile
hearts of Englishncp; and 20 very many Oh tIe
bubble tie style and title of tue aged ana nstnaOle
peeresS now numbered among the dead VIII convey
no kind of purport or slgnlncance. r uiHeIeht
will be the feelings of those who are versed IN the
history of tie English lvrc stage tor they VIII re-
mcubc that of the English operate profession the
late Lady Essex was during many years one OF the
brightest ornaments; and, although the younger
generation of playgOers mIY have bat vague anu
shadowy remembrance OF her fame, the veterans
of the first line" the seniors who can remember
Nestrs, Patton and Maria Tree in their prlme and
who have heard their fathers talk OF Ellington and
STORAGE and Catalini. will be deeply moved by the
u1ssing away of the noble lady who was once the
enchanting Kitty stephens.
The father of Katherine Stephens was respect
able carver and glider at the West End OF London.
It was at a very early age that she began to mani
fest her genius for the lyric art. and when she was
old enough to receive scientific Instruction she was
placed under the tuition of Signor Lama professor
of Italian singing OF some merit, hut much INFERIOR 10
SapiO and to Nelluti. She became SisnOr Lana ;
pupii in 1907, when she only thirteen years oil
anu 1efnAlnpU WIN mn uNc ltuio o'''A"e
stantly and gaining many laurcs at concerts III
the provinces; but in 1912 she passed from the
tuteage Of her Italian professor TO that oi inc
we'll known atom Wech who ~ contemptuously
alluded to-such is falne-as a Mr.. Welch" MIR
Thomas Wclch was during the Regency, rs famous
IN the musical world Of London as John Cramer or
Henry Bishop lie WAS the proprietor Of the Argyle
Concert Rooms in Argyle-place, Regcntst., which
were destroyed by hrei and 1T. was probably
through his connection with Harlow, OF whom ne
was the muniicent patron, that Miss Stephens Is
portrait appeared in the Trial of Queen kath-
rrneV picture Ii was Slr. Wolch who perfected the
mnsical education of Miss Stephens. fitted her for
the stage, and on tho 23d of September 1919.
brought out the young deDutante, who was just
nineteen at Covent Garden Theatre in the part Of
Asmans in DIR. Arne's sweet hut now obsolete opera
of " ArtaxerXcs.' The musical critic OF lhe Er-
dBiner was enthusiastic aOout the youthful singer
He declared that the harmony, the decacy and the
original iances of Arne's songs lost none of their
graces IN passing through ner melodious tones anu
that 80 tho difficulties of the composers airs van
ism cd before one who had rival except in the IN:
imitable Catalini." The elegant prettinesses and