JENNY LIND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 43, 24 October 1891, Page 509

JENNY LIND.

The Rev. H. K. Haweis, writing of Jenny Lind, says that a life of more ideal completeness than that of hers it is hardly possible to imagine. All its aims were worthy ; all were achieved ; rise, development, progress, culmination, immense gifts, numerous opportunities, a great example of honest work and spotless integrity, and a splendid legacy of benefactions innumerable, in the shape of hospitals, schools, and institutes founded by her own unaided efforts, in addition to unknown and unnumbered private bounties. Such is the record of Jenny Lind’s life, and it has assuredly not been written in vain. The phases of this unique career seem to follow each other with an almost dramatic propriety and scenic completeness. She appears to us on her way attended by the clamour, and heat, and vociferous applause of the surging multitude. But she moves like one all robed in white —a saintly presence, inspired, somnambulistic, and unconscious of the lower world —with eyes raised heavenwards, absorbed only in her most perfect and all purifying work ; passing through a troubled and polluted world of chicanery and lust—as a beam of sunlight passes into the depths of foul and noisome caverns, yet without contracting any stain. She seems to me at once the most real and the most ideal creature ever born. I can see the little plain girl of nine years old, with her sensitive face and spare figure—shrinking, suspicious, not kindly treated at home, but ever singing to herself and her cat * with the blue ribbon,’ both seated in the deep window niche. The passers-by stop to listen : the good Herr Croelius, Court singing [master is attracted, will have her officially trained. Behold, the incredulous and severe Herr Puke, who will hardly consent to listen to the little girl, and then bursts out crying at the exquisite pathos of the child’s voice. What a gift of tears, what larmes dans le gos ier she had ! How many more were to cry at that voice inthe coming years ! Little Jenny is at last installed as pupil, under official auspices, to be taught • piano, religion, French, history, geography, writing, arithmetic, and drawing,’ and so trained for the stage. She meets with kind people—specially her maternal grandmother, who impresses her sensitive, eager heart with that steady moral principle and those deep religious feelings which, as the years lengthened, became her most striking characteristics. At first Jenny seemed destined for the spoken drama ; she was by nature a consummate actress —such abandon and spontaneity. But her extraordinary voice asserted itself irresistibly. It was said by a great critic, * If she had not been the greatest singer, she would still have been the greatest actress of the age. She was destined to be both. Ateighteen, her singing-mistress listened to her in silence one day; Jenny had been doing her very best to please her, and felt disappointed at no least word of approval. ‘Am I then so stupid?' she said, with a little pout. *My child,’ said her mistress, while the tears coursed down her own cheeks, * I have nothing to teach you ; do as Nature tells you.’