JENNY LIND. [WITH A PORTRAIT.] BY HENRY T. TUCKERMAN. Sure something holy lodges in that breast, How sweetly did they float upon the wings were, to complete and consecrate the revelation, we are to hear the vocal genius of Northern Europe-the Swedish nightingale, Jenny Lind, is coming! From an unpretending edifice in one of the bystreets of the city of Stockholm in Sweden, a quarter of a century ago, a troop of children might have been seen to emerge, at noon, and break the silence that at other hours invested the place, with the lively chat and quick laughter natural to emancipated scholars. In a few moments they dispersed to their several homes, and early the next day were again visible, one by one, disappearing, with a more subdued bearing, within the portal of the humble domicil. Stockholm is justly regarded as the most elegant city of Northern Europe. It is situated at the junction of the lake Mälar with an inlet of the Baltic. Although usually described as founded on seven isles, it is, in point of fact, mainly situated on three ; the smallest and most central having been the ori THE Life of the North is to us a fresh revelation; | and, by a striking coincidence, one after another of its phases have come upon our transatlantic vision, in rapid succession. To many Americans Thorwaldsen was the only name associated with art, but a few years since; and to those who had visited Rome, the benign and venerable man was a vivid and pleasing reminiscence, appropriate to the idea of his grand apostolic figures, and the affectionate honor in which his native Denmark held their noble sculptor. But with Ole Bull fairly commenced our knowledge of the genius of Northern Europe. The play of the wind through her forests of pines, the glint of her frozen streams, the tenderness of her households, and the solemnity of her faith, seemed to breathe in the wizard tones of his violin; while her integrity was written in the form, the manners, and the very smile of the musician. Then the spirit of her literature began slowly to win its gentle but impressive wayto the American heart. Longfellow's transla-ginal site, and still constituting the most populous tion of Bishof's Tegnér's Children of the Lord's Supper. with the graphic introduction descriptive of moal life in Sweden, touched the same chord in New England breasts, that had vibrated to the religious pathos of Bryant, Dana, and Hawthorne; while no a few readers became simultaneously aware of a brave Danish poet recently followed to the tomb by the people of Copenhagen, with every token of natimal grief. The dramas of Ehlenschläger, from their union of familiar expression with the richest beling, though but partially known in this country, wakened both curiosity and interest. Then, too, ame to us the domestic novels of Miss Bremer, portraying so heartily the life of home in Sweden, and appealing to the most universal sympathies of our people. Finally, Hans Andersen's delicious storybooks veiling such fine imaginative powers under the guise of the utmost simplicity, raised up for him scores of juvenile admirers, while children of a larger growth enjoyed the originality of his fictions with equal zest, as the offspring of rare human sympathy and original invention. The pictures wafted to our shores by the late revolutionary exigencies of the Continent, have often yielded glimpses of northern scenery. Norwegian forests, skies and mountains, attracted the eye at the Dusseldorf gallery; and thus through both art and literature, the simple, earnest, and poetic features of life in the north, were brought within the range of our consciousness. It developed unimagined affinities with our own; and now, as it and active section. The irregularity of its form, and the blending of land and water, renders the appearance of the city remarkably picturesque. From the elevated points, besides the various buildings, craft of all kinds in motion and at anchor, numerous bridges and a fine back-ground of mountains are discernible, and combine to form a beautiful panorama. The royal palace is exceeded in magnificence only by that of Versailles. Through this busy and varied scene, on a pleasant day, there moved rapidly the carriage of one of those useful, though unrecognized beings, who seem born to appreciate the gifts which God so liberally dispenses, but whom the insensibility and selfishness of mankind, in general, permit to languish in obscurity until a fortunate circumstance brings them to light. Some time previous, the good lady, in passing the seminary to which we have alluded, had been struck with the beauty of a child's voice that rose blithely from the dwelling. She was induced to alight and enter; and her astonishment was only increased upon discovering that this cheerful song came from a diminutive girl, busied in arranging the school-room, during a temporary recess. She learned that this maiden was the daughter of the school-mistress; and the somewhat restricted air of homely comfort visible in the establishment, and the tinge of severity in the manners of the mother, contrasted forcibly in the lady's imagination with the apparently instinctive soaring of the child's spirit into the atmosphere of song, from her dim and for mal surroundings, as the sky-lark lifts itself from a lowly nest among the dark weeds up to the crystal heavens. It was a sweet illustration of the law of compensation. The air the child was singing, as she busied herself about the room, was a simple, native strain, quite familiar and by no means difficult of execution; it was the quality of the voice, the natural flow of the notes, the apparent ease, grace and earnest sweetness of the little songstress, that gained the visiter's ear and heart; and now she had come to urge upon the parents the duty of affording every encouragement to develop a gift so rare and beautiful; she expressed her conviction that the child was born for a musical artist, and destined not only to redeem her parents from want, but to do honor to her country. This impression was deepened when she learned that this musical tendency manifested itself as early as the age of three, and that the little girl had long awakened the wonder of the family by repeating accurately even intricate airs, after having heard them but once; that she had thus sung habitually, spontaneously, and seemed to find of her own volition, a peculiar consolation in the act for the dry routine of her life, though from without, not a single circumstance gave any impulse or direction to this vocal endowment. widely attractive in vaudevilles, which were written expressly for her; and it is remarkable that the charm did not lie so much in the precocious intelligence, as in the singular geniality of the little actress. Nature thus early asserted her dominion. There was an indefinable human interest, a.certain original vein that universally surprised and fascinated, while it took from the child the eclat of a mere infant phenomenon, by bringing her from the domain of vulgar wonder into the range of that refined sympathy one touch of which "makes the whole world kin." In a year Croelius reluctantly gave up his pupil to Berg, who to kindred zeal united far more energy; and by him she was inducted thoroughly into the elements of her art. Probation is quite as essential to the true development of art as encouragement. The eager, impassioned, excitable temperament needs to be chastened, the recklessness of self-confidence awed, and that sublime patience induced through which reliable and tranquil energy takes the place of casual and unsustained activity. By nature Jenny Lind was thoughtful and earnest, disposed to silence, and instinctively reserved; while the influence ofher early home was to subdue far more than to exhilarate. The change in her mode of life and prospect, was so unexpected, her success as a juvenile proligy so brilliant, and the universal social favor she ajoyed, on account of the winsome amiability of her charac She exhibited also to the just perception of Madame Lundberg, herself a celebrated Swedish actress, as well as a benevolent woman, the usual conditions of genius, in backward physical growth, precociouster, so fitted to elate a youthful heart, that we annot mental vigor, and mature sensibilities. The latter, indeed, were so active, that her mother, and even her kind adviser doubted if she possessed sufficient energy of character for so trying a profession as that of an artist; and this consideration added to the prejudice of the parents against a public, and especially a theatrical career, for a time, chilled the hopes of the enthusiastic patroness. At length, however, their consent was obtained that the experiment should be tried, and the diffident little girl, only accustomed to domestic privacy, but with a new and strange hope wildly fluttering in her bosom, was taken to Croelius-a veteran music-master of Stockholm; who was so delighted with her rare promise that one day he led her to the house of Count Pucke, then director of the court theatre. Her reception, however, did not correspond with the old man's desires; for the nobleman coldly inquired what he was expected to do with such a child? It must be confessed that the absence of beauty and size did not, at the first glance, create any high anticipations in behalf of the demure maiden. Croelius, though disappointed, was quite undismayed; he entreated the director to hear her sing, and declared his purpose to teach her gratuitously, if he could in no other way secure the cultivation of her voice and talents. This earnestness induced the count to listen with attention and candor; and the instant she had finished, he exclaimed, "She shall have all the advantages of the Stockholm Academy!" Such was Jenny Lind's initiation into the life of an artist. She now began regularly to appear on the stage, and was soon an adept in juvenile parts. She proved but regard it as one of the many providential vents The too, of her failure were singularly trying. She was truth to nature which constitutes the perfection of announced to appear as Agatha in Weber's Frie-art-that unconsciousness of self and circumstance, schutz-a character she had long regarded as that in and that fresh idea of character, at once so uncomwhich her ability would be genially tested. To it mon and so delightful. She drew the orchestra after her young ambition had long pointed, and with it her her by her bold yet true execution; and seemed posartistic sympathies were familiarly identified. The sessed with the genius of the composer as well as hour came, and that wonderful and delicate instru- with the idiosyncrasies of the character she sung, so ment—that as a child she had governed so adroitly, complete and individual was the result. Already that it seemed the echo of her mind;-that subtle the idol of her native city, and the hope of the Swemedium through which her feelings had been wont dish stage, her own ideas of art and aims as an artist to find such ready and full vent, refused to obey her remained unchanged. Her first desire was to seek will, yielded not to the pleadings of love or ambi- the instruction of Garcia, with a view to perfect her tion; was hushed as by some cruel magic-and method and subdue some vocal difficulties. She Jenny Lind was mute, with anguish in her bosom; gracefully acknowledged the social homage and theher friends looking on in tearful regret, and her atrical distinction awarded her; but these were but maestro chagrined beyond description! Where had incidental to a great purpose. She had a nobler amthose silvery tones fled? What catastrophe had all bition to satisfy, a higher ideal to realize, and pressed at once loosened those invisible harp strings? The on her still obstructed way, unallured by the pleasplendid vision of fame, of bounteous pleasure, of sures of the moment and undismayed by the distance world-excited sympathy, and of triumphant art, dis- of the goal. In order to obtain the requisite means appeared like the gorgeous cities seen by the tra- for a sojourn at Paris, she made excursions through veler, from the Straits of Messina, painted in tinted Norway and Sweden, with her father, during the vapor on the horizon. Jenny Lind ceased to sing, vacations of the theatre, to give concerts, and when but her love of art was deepened, her trust in nature sufficient had thus been acquired, she obtained leave unshaken, her simplicity and kindliness as real as of absence from the Stockholm director, and left before. Four long years she lived without the rich home for Paris, notwithstanding the dissuasion of promise that had invested her childhood; but, with her parents. They confided, however, as before, in undiminished force of purpose, she studied the art her own sense of right; and she hastened to place for which she felt herself born, with patient, acute, herself under the instruction of Garcia. Here another earnest assiduity, and then another and blissful epi- keen disappointment subdued her reviving hopes. sode rewarded her quiet heroism. The fourth act of At the first trial, her new teacher said: "My child, Robert le Diable had been announced for a special you have no voice; do not sing a note for three occasion; and it so happened that in consequence of months, and then come and resume again." Once the insignificant role of Alice, consisting of a single more she wrapt herself in the mantle of patience, solo, no one of the regular singers was diposed to went into studious retiremeut, and, at the prescribed adopt the character. In this emergency, Berg was time, again returned to Garcia, whose cheering reminded of his unfortunate pupil. She meekly con- words now were, (6 'My child, you can begin your sented to appear, pleased with an opportunity to be lessons immediately." Simple words, indeed, but useful, and oblige her kind maestro. While prac-more welcome to that ardent child of song, intent on ticing this solo, to the delight and astonishment of progress in the art she loved, than the wildest plaudits. both teacher and pupil, the long-lost voice suddenly She returned with an elastic step, and entered with re-appeared. It seemed as if Nature had only with- joyful enthusiasm upon her artistic career. Meyerdrawn the gift for a season, that her child might beer immediately offered her an engagement at Bergather strength and wisdom to use it efficiently, and lin. The consummate skill of her teacher, and her in an unselfish spirit; and then restored it as a de- own enlarged experience and high resolves, made served recompense for the resignation and truth her advancement rapid and genuine. Thenceforth a with which the deprivation had been borne. We series of musical triumphs unexcelled in the history can fancy the rapturous emotions of the gentle votary of the lyrical drama, attended the life of Jenny Lind. that night, when she retired from the scene of her We might repeat countless anecdotes of the universal new and unanticipated triumph. The occasion has admiration and profound sympathy she excited at been aptly compared to the memorable third act of Berlin, Vienna, Dresden, Bremen, Munich, Aix la the Merchant of Venice on the evening of Kean's Chapelle, and, indeed, wherever her voice was debut at Drury Lane. Jenny Lind immediately re- heard on the stage and at concerts. The testimoverted to her cherished ideal part-that of Agatha. nies of the highest private regard, and public apShe was now sixteen years of age-her character preciation, were lavished upon her in the shape of rendered firm by discipline, her love of music deep-costly gifts, wreaths of silver, poetic tributes, philoened by more comprehensive views and a better in-sophical criticisms, the breathless silence or oversight, and her whole nature warmed and softened by the realization of the fondest and earliest hopes, long baffled, yet consistently cherished. The most experienced actors were struck with wonder at the facility and perfection of her dramatic style; in this, as in her vocalism, was, at once, recognized that peculiar whelming applause of entranced multitudes, and all the signs of enthusiastic delight at the advent of a true child of nature and of song. To us the record of her two visits to England are yet vivid, and it is needless to reiterate the extraordinary demonstrations which there attested her singular merits, and |