16
TBE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. FfORTLA2TO, MAY 20, 1900.
S BOOK3 r"3Hl
!
WHY DO I SIXGr
Why does the larK sing?
"Why does the rose bloom?
"Why does the hyacinth
Fling its perfume?
"Why do the stars hlne?
"Why do the waes roll?
"Why does the prayer rise
Out of the soul? ,
'Tis but expression
Delighting in birth
That circles -with beauty
The -whole round earth.
Eva Emery Xye.
THE PURITAN THEOCRACY
New Edition of Joan Flsfce's "The
Beginnings of Xcvr England'
Recent Publications.
John Fiske's "neil-known -work, "The
Beginnings of New England: or the Purl
tan Theocracy in Its Relations to Civil
end Religious Liberty," has been pub
lished in a new edition, illustrated with
portraits, maps, facslmliies, contempor
ary "views, prints and other historic mate
rials. The result Is a volume which is
full of interest to any one who is fond
of the early Colonial history of this coun
try. It gives an admirable account of the
principles which led to the settlement at
Plymouth Rock and of the evolution of
the Ideas of the Pilgrims in the subsequent
history of the Colonies. It is thus the
real philosophy of history, but is treated
In so clear a way that It is ertremely
Interesting. In selecting Illustrations the
author has used only authentic portraits.
He mourns the abEence of portraits of
VVilllam Bradford, Roger Williams and
Thomas Hooker, but in their stead we
have fine pictures of Winthrop, Cotton,
Davenport, Vane and others. Especially
interesting' Is the hitherto unpublished
portrait of "William Goffe, the regicide.
The historic houses of New England, the
facsimiles of autographs and the repro
ductions of title pages of books all have
an interest, but that is permanent.
In this sketch of the circumstances
which attended the settlement of New
England, Professor Flske has purposely
omitted many details which In a formal
history of that period would need to be
Included. He alms to give the outline of
such a narrative as to Indicate the prin
ciples at work in the history of New Eng
land down to the Revolution of 16S9. He
makes a- wide survey of history, contrast
ing different Ideas of colonization, which
involved the gradual shifting of primacy
from men who spoke Latin, and their de
scendants, to the men who speak Eng
lish. The Oriental method of nation
making was conquest without incorpora
tion; the Roman, conquest with incor
poration, but without representation: the
English, incorporation with representa
tion. From the lery day when Oliver
Cromwell reached forth his mlghtyarms
to stop the persecutions In Savoy, the
ilctorious English idea began to change
the face of things.
The next century saw 'William Tltt allied
with Frederick of Prussia, to sae the work
of the Reformation in Central Europe and set
In motion the train of events that were at last
to make the people of the Teutonic fatherland
a nation. At that same moment tho keenest
lands in France were awakening to the fact
that in their immediate neighborhood, sep
arated from them only by a few miles of salt
water, was a country where people were equal
in the eje of the law. It was the ideas of
IOike and Milton, of "Vane and Sidney, that,
when transplanted. Into French soil, produced
that iiolent but salutary revolution which has
given fresh life to the European world. And
.contemporaneously with all this the American
Nation came upon the. scene, equipped as no
other nation had ever been, for the task of
combining sovereignty with liberty, lhdestruct
ibte union of the whole with indestructible life
In the parts. The English Idea has thus coma
to be more than national. It has become im
perial. It has come to rule, and It has come
to stay. . . . The whole course of the
Protestant reformation, from the thirteenth
century to the nineteenth. Is coincident with
the transfer of tin world's political center of
gravity from the Tiber and the Rhine to the
Thames and the Mississippi. The whole career
crane" men "who -speak English has within this
.period been the. most potent ageney in this
, transfer. In these gigantic processes of evolu-
Hon we cannot mark beginnings or endings by
jears, hardly even by centuries. But among
the significant events which prophesied the
final triumph of the English over the Roman
Idea, perhaps th most significant the one
chich marks most incisively the dawning of a
new era was the migration Of English Purl
tans across the Atlantic Ocean, to repeat in a
aew environment and -on a grander scale ot
dimensions the work whleh their forefathers
had wrought in Britain.
In the period that began with the cur
tailment of the political privileges of the
colony under the new charter of 1GS2, and
ehded in 1776, the movements of Massa
chusetts, while restricted and hampered,
were at the same time forced Into a wider
orbit. Similarity of experience during the
lSth -century brought Massachusetts and
Virginia into cordial alliance during the
struggle against George III, and thus
made it possible to cement all the colonies
together in the mighty nation whose very
name Is fraught with o high and earnest
a lesson to mankind the United States.
For such a far-reaching result, the temporary
humiliation- -of -Massachusetts (in 1602) was a
rmall price to pay. But it was not until long
after the accession of "William in that things
could be seen in these grand outlines. "With
lis coronation beran the struggle ot 70 years
between France and England, far grander than
the struggle between Rome and Carthage 2000
ears earlier, for primacy in the world, for the
prerogative of determining the future career of
mankind That warfare, so fraught with mean
ing, was waged as much upon American as
European ground, and while it continued it
was plainly for the interest of the British Gov
ernment to pursue a conciliatory policy toward
Its American colonics, for without their whole
hearted assistance it could have no hope of
success. As soon as the struggle was ended,
and the French power in the colonial world
Anally overthrown, the perpetual quarrels be
tween the popular Legislatures and the rojal
Governors led immediately to the stamp act
and the other measures of the British Govern
Di
i
ment that brought about the American Revo
lution. Peeple sometimes argue "about that
Revolution as if it had no past behind it and
was simply the result of a discussion over ab
stract principles. "We can now see that, while
the dispute Involved an abstract principle ol
fundamental Importance to mankind. It waa
at the same time for Americans illustrated by
memories sufficiently concrete and real. James
Otis in his prime was no further distant from
the tyranny of Andros than middle-aged men
of today are distant from the Mlsseurf Com
promise. Tbtt sons of men cast Into Jail along
with John "Wise may have been those who
stood silent in the moonlight en Griffin's "Wharf
and looked on while the contents of the tea
chests were h'urled Into Boston harbor. In the
events we have passed in review. It may be
seen, so plainly that he who runs may read,
hpw the spirit of 1776 was foreshadowed in
1CS9.
The volume Is finely printed and bound
In green buckram. (Houghton, Mifflin &
Co., Boston.) r
Alexander the Great.
The biography of "Alexander the Great,"
by Benjamin Ide "Wheeler, president of
the University of California, js a most
interesting study of tho man and the val
uable history of his time. "History and
Biography" blend, sae President Wheel
er. "No single personality, excepting the
carpenter's son of Nazareth, has done so
much to make the world of civilization
we live in what it is as Alexander of
Macedon. He leveled the terrace upon
which European history is built. What
ever lay within the range of his conquests
constituted its part to form that Mediter
ranean civilization which, under Rome's
administration, became the basis of Eu
ropean life. . . . The story of the great
Macedonian's life, inseparable as it is from
history in its widest range, stands none
the less in stubborn protest against that
view of history which makes It a thing
of thermometers and the rain-gauge ot
rivers and mountains, we:ghts and values,
materials, tools and machines. It is a
history warm with the lifeblood of man. It
is Instinct with personality, and speaks In
terms or the human will and the soul." It
is a wonderful history. A King before
he was 21, in 12 years Alexander had con
quered a vast empire, dying at 32 in the
I zenith of hla fame. In his address to his
mutinous soldiers, Alexander enumerates
some of hi"? -victories: "The satraps of
Darius I overwhelmed at Granlcua. Ionia,
Aeolla. 5oth Phryglas and Lydla I oxer
ran, and the fruits of victory came to you.
The blessings of Egypt and Cyrenc fell
into your lap. Syria, Palestine. Mesopo
tamia are your possessions. Bab Ion. and
Bactria and Suea are yours; the wealth
of the Lydlans, the treasure of the Per
sians, the stores of India, the great outer
sea, all are yours." (G. P. Putnam's Sons,
New York.)
Joaquin Miller.
Joaquin Miller's admirers will be glad
to have a complete -volume of his poems
complete, at least, in the sense that, aa
the author says himself, "All I wish to
answer for Is here." They will prize also
the frank "Introduction," and the notes
scattered through the book, in which the
poet briefly writes his autobiography, ind
describes the circumstances Jn which he
has done his literary work. Speaking of
his "Pacific Poems," he says: "A thin
little book, and my watch was in pawn
before it was out, for I could not find a
J publisher. One hundred were printed,
j bearing the name of the printer as publish
er. What fortune!" Speaking of the
pictures of himself at different ages that
are included In the present volume, he
says: "The photographs are put In to
show that whatever there may be in cc-
ATltMfl rvf (7r And m4wnM T A.-A
and bore myself as others, and kept quietly
i and plainly along about my work, like
j other men mainly." Addressing other
writers, he Gays: "Nothing ever has psJd,
noinmg ever win pay a nation, like poetry.
. . . Finally, use the briefest little bits
of iaby Saxon words at hand. Tho world
is waiting for ideas, not words. Remem- j
ber Shakespeare's scorn of 'words, words.
words." Remember always that It was
the ehort Roman sword that went to the
heart and conquered hs world, not tho
long, tasseled and bannered lance of the
barbarian. Write this down in red. and
remember. We have not time for words.
A man who uses a great big sounding
Word When a short nn irlll f 1 n tV.l
extent a robber of time. A jewel that j
sr. -b3s apr
r
z. rt1
ry
o r. s- n c
fl
S
fi-n
depends greatly on the setting Is not a
great jewel. When the Messiah of Amer
ican literature comes he will come sing
ing, so far as may be, in words of one
syllable." Speaking of the time after
his first London book Tvas out, Mr. Mil
ler writes: "One e ening Rossettl brought
me Walt Whitman, new to me, and that
night I lay in bed and read It through
the lost book I ever read. I could not
bear any light next morning, nor very
much light ever since, nor have I ever since
looked upon any page long without in
tense pain. Hence the 'eccentricity of
never having books or papers about me, of
writing as few letters as possible, and
these on colored paper or unruled paper.
White paper hurts me so that I must look
aside, and what with a cripple arm, too,
I writ a sad hand. Pardon all th's detail,
but the facts may save pain to some young
writers whom I surely would answer If I
i could." (Whltaker & Ray Co., San Fran-
tiotu.;
Knlfflits In Fustian.
In "Knights in Fuetian," Miss Caroline
Brown introduces us to a new field in fic
tion. It deals with the Copperhead insur
rection Incited by Clement L. Vallan
dlgham in Indiana In 1SS3. This organ
ized opposition to -the Fwieral Government
during the War for the Union was highly
important in its possibilities, and by no
means Insignificant In Its actual results.
Now for the first time It figures as the
basis of the plot of a novel. The author
has made an exhaustive study of the ca
reer of the Knights of the Golden Circle,
and has availed herself of all opportuni
ties to learn of them from those who were
concerned In their discovery and suppres
sion. Ths book presents several fai.hful
pictures of the chief characters Involved,
and makes an especially strong portrai
ture of Governor Morton. There Is a love
story Interwoven in a skillful fashion, and
the description of life and manners, and
scenery and places, in the Southern In
diana of that day are very effective.
(Houghton,. Mifflin & Co., Boston.)
Cbarleciagac.
Charlemagne, King of France and Em
peror of the West, was the most powerful
monarch of h's time. In addition to his
military genius, he gained a great repu
tation as a statesman, legislator and pro
moter of learning and of arts. H. W.
Carless Davis has made a careful study
of the authorities, and gives In "Charle
magne" a life-like presentment of the
man who founded the community of West
ern Christendom. The order of treat
ment Is a discuss'on cf the Euorpean con
dition before Charlo: the relations of
Charles and Garloman; the fall of Pavla;
the first Saxon war and Roncesvalles; the
second Saxon war and the German settle
ment: the religious pollc-y and the Renais
sance; the Imperial coronation: the im
perial Idea; the Emptor's court: the last
four years, full of melancholy, and tho
presage of decay in the man and the
power which he had centralized by hla
commanding energy. (G. P. Putnam's
Sons, New York.)
Modern Spain.
M. A. S. Hume tells in "Modern Spain"
the story of the country during a century
of struggle upward out of the abyss Into
which despot'sm and bigotry had sunk it.
Notwithstanding the disappointments
caused by the squabbles and corruptions
of politicians. the folly and blindness of
those who sat In high places, the reader
of Mr. Hume's volume -will see that in
spite of all difficulties the Span'rii nation
has advanced and is rtlll advancing,
though slowly, toward the material pros-
perlty and enlightened freedom which is
the right of all civilized peoples. The
book ends with a very brief sketch of the
recent war. by which Cuba. Porto Rico
and the Philippines were wrested from
Spanish control. It bos many illustra
tions and a good index. (G. P. Putnam's
Sons, New York.)
Modern Italy.
Although Italy Is still a favored shrine
to which thousands of British and Ameri
can travelers annually flock to find In
her lakes and mountains, her churches,
picture galleries and ruins the goal of
their pilgrimage, and while the magic
names of Rome, Florence and Venice are
household words upon their lips. ct the
Inner history of the aeaicxula. has been
- ,ff JF r -X
- iiiitfri4r.;i.vai c
ffllSScJHSIffif
1 i '
strangely neglected, even by those who,
it might reasonably be supposed, would
be Its closest students. Bat it ought not
to be forgotten that Italy, which we are
so apt to reagrd. as simply a paradise
of nature as well as of art, has a prac
tical demand on our sympathies quite as
stromj as its hold on our imaginations.
While the picturesque heroes of Roman
history are familiar traditions, Cavour. the
pilot who steered the bark of Italian inde
pendence safely home to port between the
rocks of absolutist reaction and the whirl
pool of revolutionary fanaticism, Charles
Albert and many more, are, especially
to the younger generation, too often mere
names. Professor Pletro .Oreis" object is
to familiarize his readers with the pio
neers of "Modern Italy" and their work,
and, in connection with his distinguished
academical position, ho possesses excep
tional qualifications for such a task. It is
a stirring story the story of a nation's
struggle for unity and Independence and
the reader will not withhold his sympathy
as he follows the narrath e of this strug
gle through the hours of darkners and
despair until that supreme moment when
Victor Emmanuel entered the Qulrinal in
state and uttered the famous words,
"We are at Rome, and here we remain."
(G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.)
Russian Literature.
Wallszewskl's work in. his "Romance of
an Empress," gained for him the favor
of American readers. Many of these
readers, however, may be unaware of the
extent of Wallszenski's attainments which
have been so abundantly demonstrated in
his literary criticisms and historical work
that his selection as the Historian of
Russian literature In the admirably edited
"Literatures of the World Series," is a
pre-eminently fitting one. In "A History
of Russian Literature" h-s has tlealt with
a theme comparatively little known and
of full Interest. From the blllnl or oral
literature of Old Russia and the Ostromlr
Codex, the earliest specimen ot written
Russian literature, down to the poets and
novelists of the later 19th century, there
are' presented a series of peculiar and
fascinating literary epochs, which can
only be set forth by a writer like Walls
zewski, who Is familiar with the develop
ments of Russian history and Imbued
with the spirit of a peopls frequently mis
interpreted and misunderstood. The study
of Russian culture and Russian literary
expression forms a lucid, significant and
most Important critical history, which de
rives a peculiar interest from its elucida
tion of f manners, customs and life in
general. (D. Appleton & Co., New York.)
BOOK NOTES.
Prof. Cravrthavr, Xew Yerk, oa "The
Interpretation of Literature."
"The Interpretation of Literature" is
the title of a new book by W. H. Craw
shaw. Professor of English Literature In
Colgate University. It alms to s?t forth
In a comprehensive manner the principles
that underlie the study of literature as a
xevealer and interpreter of human life. It
Is largely practical In purpose, not only as
affording a systematic outline of the sub
ject, but alsb as furnishing definite 'sug
gestion concerning scops and method of
study.
A second volume In the series ot "Side
Lights on American History," by Henry
W. Elson, will be published by the Mac
mlllan Company during the Spring. The
first volume, published last year, brought
the Side Lights down to the .beginning of
the Civil War. The present book begins
where the "lasixJeft oft. More than half
the volume 19 devoted to subjects in con
nection with tKe war. A chapter Is given
to seeerslon I. e., a tracing the secession
idea down through the century. A chap
ter on events'eadlng up to the -war, an
other on the cause of Northern success.
A chapter is devoted to Reconstruc
tion; another to the great trial of Andrew
Johnson. Other subjects treated, at leng.h
arc the Liberal Republican movement of
1S72. the Garfield tragedy and ihe Span
ish War, while one chapter Is devoted to
a "Century of Tariff Legislation."
The Baron de Coubertln has ju9t com
pleted his book on "France Since 1S1I,"
which the Macmllian Company will pub
lish at once. The work attempts to set
clearly before the world an unvarnished
account of the political changes in the
France of this century about which so
many unfounded ' beliefs obtain In the
Test of Europe.
William Sage, the author of "Robsrt
Tourray' a romance of the French Revo
lution, is a son of Mrs. Abby Sage Rlch
ardson the well-known writer cf Ameri
can history and English literature. He
was educated In France and Germany,
and has always been fond of American
and French history, part.cularly that of ths
French Reolutlon. It was natural, there
fore, that In casting anout lor a subject
to weave Into a romance, he should choose
from a period with the history of which
he was so well acquainted.
The most popular novels on Little,
Brown & Co.'s list last season were: The
Sword of Justice,-" by Sheppard Stevens;
"From Kingdom to Co'ony," by Mary
Devereaux. and "The 3ronze Buddha."
by Cora Linn Daniels.
THE MAGAZINES.
Social Conditions in Kentucky De
scribed by Senator Lindsay.
The International Monthly for May Is
an Important number. It contains a valu
able and easily read esray on "Decorat
ive Art," by Russell Sturgis; an equally
valuable, but more technical, article by
Professor Lodge, of Liverpool, an eminent
physicist, developing a new theory of mat
ter; and the usual shorter and lighter
essays upon topics of timely Interest. The
description of "Social Conditions In Ken
tucky," by Hon. William Lindsay, United
States Senator from Kentucky, and a
Southerner by birth and residence has
unusual value from the personality of
the author. Professor Jacoby presents a
readable article on "Astronomical Photo
graphy." and Dr. Roosa pleads for "State
Endowment of Medical Institutions."
"Current History" does not pick out a
few topics here and there and hold them
up for special treatment, but In each
number covers the entire range of the
world's Important doings In war, diplo
macy, science, etc., giving a comprehen
sive view of the whole in clear, crisp
concise and luminous style. Its succes
sive numbers, thoroughly Indexed, beau
tifully printed, and fully Illustrated with
portraits of noted personages, useful
maps and diagrams, and authentic views
from all parts of the world, contain a
complete history of our times, gathered
fronumany sources- It assists the mer
chant In his trading, the student in his
routine, the teacher in his recitations, the
preacher In his study, the statesman in
his compilation of data. (Current History
Co., Boston.) .
Principal papers in the May North
American Review are: "The Great Si
berian Railway," M. Mlkhailoff; "Japan
and Russia In the Orient," James Mur
doch; "The Powers and the Partition of
China," Rev. Gilbert Reld; "American
Policy In China," Sir Charles W. Dilke;
"Origin of the Negro Race." Sir Henry
M. Stanley: "Future of ths National
Guard," Charles Sydney Clark; "The Brit
ish Volunteer System' Earl Brownlow.
Particularly piquant Is AdachI Kinno
suke's review in the May Critic of Mr.
Ransome's "Japan In Transition." Mr.
Kinnosuke finds no little merriment in the
naive views the average Oc:Idental writ
er expresses regarding the customs of his
countrymen and the Inner significance of
his country's thoughts, alms and institu
tions. Harper & Brothers have purchased
Golf, the magazine devoted to golfing
interests and the official organ of the
United States Golf Association. The peri
odical will continue to be published
monthly. Van Tassel Sutphan. the well
known authority on golfing subjects, will
edit the magazine. Its contents will be
made up of news on the latest events In
the golfing world, bulletins of the United
States Golfing Association, pictures of new
clubhouses; links, portraits and articles
by leading authorities on this particular
sport.
BQmusicS)
Tae Tgrae.
(A memory.)
The thumping chords and climbing scales X
strum.
And fugues forever Hying to and fro,
Bass from the treble's hurrying oboe
And treble from the bass's booming drum.
Set free at last, out where the grasses hum.
We play a living fugue, with checks aglow.
Pursuer and pursued; fleet-foot or slow;
And hearkening to the flicker's hollow thrum.
Still, all along that rocky upland ledge.
The columbine hangs -eut Its scarlet horn
"Where once you ran, whose voice ot boyish
scorn
Piereedny retreat behind the cedar hedge.
While, on some distant forest's northern edge,
"fou follow the gray night and orange morn.
Florence Wilkinson.
CYCLOPEAN UNDERTAKING
"What Theodore T&omas Has Been
DoIbs at the Cincinnati Music
Festival.
The large feature of the Cincinnati Mu
sic Festival, which opened May 8, was
the performance 6f Berlioz's "Te Deum,"
MME. JiORDICA
a bizarre, pompous, splendid composition
'that Berlioz designed as a portion of a
vast epical drama In honor of Napoleon
on his return from his Italian campaign.
He Imagined Napoleon entering the ca
thedral of Notre Dame and being received
with a grand outburst of sound from all
portions of the cathedral. An orchestra
of 134 Instruments and two choirs of 100
singers each were to send up their oIces
from a platform at one end of the cathe
dral, and a grand organ was to echo the
jubilation from the other end. Between
the antlphonal forces was to be placed a
third chorus of 600 children, who were to
join In the music at Intervals as repre
sentatives of the congregatlors.
Naturally this magnificent conception
was not easy of realization. Theodore
Thomas, However, (who is In
charge of the Cincinnati Fes'.lval)
brought all his fine equipment
of energy and ingenuity to bear
upon the problem, which resulted
In two great choirs, one a double chorus
of adults, -107 voices, and the other of
bojs from the public schools, 209 voices.
In order to obtain the proper separation
of distance between the orchestra of 10S
instruments, the two choirs and the or
gan. Mr. Thomas went so far as to ask
for the building of an organ In the bal
cony opposite the stage In the Music Hall,
and at so high a pitch Is musical enthusi
asm In Cincinnati the dlrec ors consented;
but, eventually the scheme was voted
Impracticable. The full effect of the In
strumental antlphons therefore had to be
left to the imagination.
Only In the brief introduction, when
orchestra spoke to organ, and organ spoke
to orchestra, were the effects designed
by Berlioz carried out; yet the perform
ance was exciting to a degree, sajs a
Cincinnati critic in the New York Tri"
bune. In the "Judex Crederis," which
Berlioz himself set down as his greatest
creation and in the final march, Mr.
Thomas turned his brassas loose and let
them blow such blasts as "erst threw
down old Jericho's substantial town."
It was Indeed a brass band finale: the
strings were scarcely heard after a roll
of the side drums gave notice that tho
jubilee of the trumpets, horns, trom
bones and tubas had arrived. The "Ju
dex Crederis" was simply an orgie, and
to retain a respect for Berlioz -one had
to recall the first two divisions of the
work. In which there are echoes of church
ly melodies and harmonies, and the "Te
Ergo" which Mr. Ben Davies sang with
magnificent breadth of tone and marvelous
phrasing.
The choir of boys, though only half
as numerous as that described by Ber
lioz, gave out a volume of tone that
cut through the choral Instrumental mas
with thrilling effect and stirred up such
an enthusiasm that Mr. Thomas beckoned
to the lads to rise and acknowledge the
tribute.
This is the fourth time this massive and
monumental work has been given in
America, Chicago, Boston, New York,
each In turn attempting it. But th's
Cincinnati experiment is said to eclipse
all previous efforts.
One Irreverent critic speaks of It as
"circus music," then goes on to saj :
"Berlioz's imagination was fantastically
vast and gigantic In the carrying out of
ideas which were In themselves not at
all striking. He was a colorist. a dis
temper painter who could have made the
sides of Cheops erubescent. It was a rec
ognition of this quality in his art which
led. Heine to liken him so strangely with
a 'colossal nightingale' and a 'gigantic
lark.' and to say that his music had some
thing primitive and primeval about It, and
suggested thoughts of vast mammoths or
other extinct an.mals; of fabulous empires
filled with fabulous sins."
OPERATIC WOES IX AEW YORK.
Gossip Aboat Caprices of Stars Grau
"Was Called Upon to Endure.
A writer in the New York Sun gives the
following tale of woe regarding operatic
trojbles at the Metropolitan," dur-
lug the season, just closed: Oee of the
promlneat singers in the company, whose
engagement at a fabulous salary. la view
of what he has accomplished, has seemed
Incomprehensible, was in reality imposed
on the management by a prima donna
who had him under contract last year and
expected to have s. company of her own
this past season. When that became Im
possible she found an amiable impresario
to relieve her of him. Whether or not he
regrets his amiability or what motive In
spired him to make the contract has never
been divulged.
Another singer, famous In his own coun
try, has left behirid him such a mass of
debts that his creditors would not allow
him to leave Europe until some arrange
ment for their payment had lreen made.
His salary was so distributed among the
creditors that he received a ridiculously
small sum for every appearance.
One of the prime donne at the Metropol
itan Opera-house, New York, enjoys the
satisfaction of possessing caprices, and
being able to Indulge thera to her
own satisfaction, so far as they are
dependent only on the co-operation ot
the theater direction. Recently she de
cided that the stage ddor used by. other
prima donnas did not suit her. So a large
entrance waa constructed on the
Thlrty-nlnth-street side and provided with
a waiting-room of a character to remove
all danger of her taking cold. As a mat
ter of fact, the stage entrance of the Met
ropolitan is unworthy of such a theatei,
and the singers run constant risk in be
ing compelled "to use it.
Recently a useful tenor of the- company,
AS BRUXHILDE.
who receives a very small salary, was
asked to take the place of a high-priced
superior. Although he was not compelled
to sing, as he had already made the num
ber of appearances which his contract
called for, he did consent to appear. With
out him the opera would have been im
possible, but In place of asking for a
larger sum. he consented to accent the
1 customary fee that he gets for every per
formance. Yet, It Is already reported, he
Is not to be engaged for next season.
All of her colleagues are twitting one of
the prima donnas about a recent offer cf
marriage, and asking when she is going
to accept the coronet which her titled
lover has begged her to let him .place
on her brow. She laughingly answers
that she was born a peasant, proposes
to remain one and cares for no crown
even If it dates back to a French saint
who emigrated to Poland in the 11th cen
tury, and hanDened to be offered to hex
I In this country.
DELIGHTFUL PROGRAMME.
Mlas Large in Recital Before the
Carl Rclnecke Clab.
Miss Josephine Large, of Chicago, who
gave a series of concerts in Portland dur-
I Ing the Summer of 1S57, has been engaged
by the Carl Relnecke Society for a re
cital at Parsons Hall on Saturday, May
26, at 4 o'clock. Following la the pro
gramme, a most delightful one. as all
will concede, which has been arranged
with special reference to students of mu
sic: I Johann Scheln (1617)
Allemande, Courante, Allemande.
J. S. Bach (16S5)
Gigue. Gavotte.
H W. A. Mozart (1C6)
Sonata XVI, Allegro Maestoso, An
dante Contablle, Presto.
III F. Chopin (1S09)
Prelude. "The Rain Drop."
F. Mendelssohn (1S0O)
Spring Song;
R. Schumann (1S10)
"Perfect Happiness." "Catch Me If
You Can,'1 "The Child Falling
Asleep."
Carl Relnecke "The Blacksmith"
IV E. A. MacDowell
"From an Indian Lodge," "The De
serted Farm," "Shadow Dance,"
"In Autumn," "With Uncle
Remus."
Musical Gossip.
Mr. Grau made $13,000 by his farewell
concert at the Metropolitan, N. Y- It wad
the largest audience of the season.
Calve, who Is rich, weary and not In
good health, has sailed for Europe, ac
cording to the New York Journal, In the
expectation that her American career la
closed.
Mrs. Rose Bloch Bauer has been engaged
to sing for the graduating exercises at
the Oregon City High School, May 23.
A concert company has just been formed
In Portland, and will soon start on the
road, visiting the towns of the North
west. Mme. Jennie Norelll is the soprano,
Reginald Hidden the violinist, and Miss
j Gruenberg the pianist.
W. F. Werschkul gsw to Spokane,
wash., to sing the ba solos in "The
Creation," to beg vien there May 29.
The chorus numbers 100 voices, and Is un
der the direction of Dr. R. A. Heritage.
"Disappearing Composer."
Salnt-Saems, after spending the Winter
In the South, was to have sailed for Bra
zil, and was waiting at Les Palmas, ready
to start; but, as Is characteristic, he
changed his mind and went to Paris, and
aa he Is the idol of Parisians, possibly It
was to attract their admiration, of which
he Is so fond, during the exposition. As
he Is known as the "dlsannearint eom-
poser," no one Is able to say how long
Paris will hold him.
Nordica "Will Sing: In California.
It Is announced that Mr. Grau has en
gaged Mme. Nordlca for his San Fran
cisco season next Fall, though no provis
ion Is made for her singing in the East.
It Is generally understood that she would
rest next season. She will probably sing
in concert after the engagement on the
Pacific Coast is ended.
AMERICAN PLUCK DID IT
NORDICA'S GENIUS FOR HARD
WORK MADE HER CAREER.
Her Parents Considered Music aa
Art of tke Devil Sat Shared
Gilnerc's Shcccss.
Aspiring young- singers have of lata
years been fond of encouraging' one an
other by pointing out the career ot Lil
lian Nordlca, the great American prima
donna, who has won fame and fortune
for herself by dint of her Indomitable
pluck and extraordinary steadfastnefs of
purpose. With only those advantages of
training: ifcat her own country could offer
he?, she has become one bt the world's
greatest dramatic sopranos.
Nordlca came of New England stock.
She was born at Farmlngton. Me., but
was reared In Boston, whither her family
moved when she was still very young.
Her parents were not musically gifted.
"Their opinion of music was that It Is an
airy, Inviting art of the devil, used, to
tempt men's feet to stray from the sol
emn path of right," said Nordlca herself
recently to Theodore Dreiser, In an Inter
view published in Success. "They be
lieved music, as a vocation, to be nearly
as reprehensible aa a stage career. I
must be just, however, and own that
they did make an exception in the
case of church music, else I should never
have received the slightest encouragement
in my aspirations. They considered mu
sic in churches to be permissible oven
laudahle. So when I displayed some abil
ity as & elnger, I was allowed to uso it
In behalf of religion, and. I did. I joined
the church choir and sang hymns about
the house almost constantly.
Having learned that she could sing, all
her time, thought and energy were de
voted to that one object. After many
entreaties and arguments on her part,
her parents, perceiving that her voice waa
destined to become the source of consid
erable profit to the family exchequer, if
employed in the large chruches, gave their
assent to a course of training.
Take the "World by Storm.
"Professor John O'Neill, one of the in
structors in the New England Conserva
tory of Music, Boston, was a fine old
teacher, a man with the highest Ideals
concerning music, and of the sternest and
most exacting method. He made me feel,
at first, that the world was mine If I
would work; I must perfect myself In
private, and then suddenly appear unher
alded In the highest class of opera and
take the world by etorm.
"Under him for three years I studied
the physiology of the voice, and practiced
singing oratorios. I also took up Italian,
familiarizing myself with the language,
with all the songs, and endless arias. In
fact, I made myself as perfect in Italian
as possible."
But with all Nordica's ambition and un
tiring work, she lost heart at the end of
three years; for Mr. O'Neill's methods
were discouraging, and his grade of per
fection so high that it seemed unattaln-"
able. So she left O'NelK and went to a
more genial atmosphere, that of the New
York teacher, Mme. Maretzek; Through
her she made the acquaintance of Gllmore,
who was then In the heydey of hie suc
cess as a bandmaster. One morning, dur
ing one ot his rehearsals, she sang for
him, the orchestra accompanying her, an&
he was so pleased with her voice that hb
said: "Very good! Very good! Now,
what you want to do Is to get some rosea
In your cheeks and come along and sing
for me."
"I was traveling on air when I left, I
can assure you," said Nordlca. And In
this way sho entered upon an engagement
with Gilmore's famous band, finishing hla
New York season, and taking an extended
Western tour, receiving ?100 a week be
side the traveling expanses of her mother
and herself. This experience was a val
uable one for her. She gained thorough
control of her nerves, and learned some
thing of audiences and of what constitutes
distinguished "stage presence."
Then came a visit to London, Paris, Vi
enna, Rome and the other big cities of
Europe, with Gllmore. "We gave 78 con
certs In England and France. We opened
the Trocadero at Paris, and mine was
the first voice of any kind to sing there.
This European tour o the American
band really was a great and successful
venture. American musicians still recall
the furore which it created and the pres
tige which it gained at home. Mr. Gll
more was proud of his leading soloists.
In Paris, where the great audiences went
wild over my singing, he came to praise
me personally In unmeasured terms.
A Prophecy Realized.
. " My dear, he said, ou are going to
be a great singer. You are going to be
crowned In your own country yet. Mark
my words: they are going to put dia
monds on your brow!' " Madame Nordlca
had good occasion to recall this many
years after, in 1S5S, when her enthusiastic
New York admirers crowned her with a
diamond tiara as a tribute of their ad
miration and appreciation.
At the conclusion of this tour she went
to Milan to study with the well-known
old singing teacher, San Giovanni. After
hearing her sing an aria from "Lucia,"
he said dryly: "You want to slng in grand
opera?"
"Yes."
"Well, why doriieoyctt? 1-
"I need tralnlrgJ"''
"Nonsense! You need a few months to
practice Italian methods that Is all."
At the end of three months she made
her debut as VIoletta in "La Travlata."
Her success was Instantaneous. Her fame
went up and down the land, and across
the water to her home. A brilliant en
gagement in St. Petersburg in October.
1SSL followed this. But Nordlca counted
all these achievements nothing until she
had won the almost impregnable citadel of
Paris. This she did in July, 1SS2. It wa3
her greatest triumph. In the part of Mar
guerite, she took the house by storm, and
won from the composer the highest en
comiums. Subsequently she appeared with
equal success as Ophelle, having been spe
cially prepared for both these roles by the
respective composers, Charles Gounod and
Ambrolse Thomas.
At last Nordica's ambition was satisfied,
so she gave up her caieer and was mar
ried. For two years she remained away
from the public; but after that time her
husband having died, she decided to re
turn, and accordingly sang for a season
at Covent Garden with Colonel Mapleson.
A visit to Beyreuth In company with
her friends, the two De Reszkes, opened
her eyes to the splendid possibilities that
awaited her in Wagnerian opera. She be
came thoroughly Imbued with enthusiasm
for it. immediately began the study of
German, and privately made a wager to
her mother that she would one day sins
on the great stage at Beyreth. A talk
with Imperious but klndhearted old Frau
Wagner fired her ambition still more, and
ended in -her singing the role of Elsa re
creating It, In fact after her own concep
tion of it. And that was the beginning ot
a new series of triumphs which hava
placed her among the greatest living ex
ponents of Wagnerian music-drama.
As the records in the dally New York
press have shown this past season at tha
Metropolitan. Nordlca is still growing.
Every year shows a new stage In her de
velopment. It Is the genius for hard work
that has made, and is 6tlll making, her
career.
MY SOXG-3ntD.
Long years ago my btrdling woko
And once essayed to sing.
Until, alas, an arrow broke
His slender silver wing;
His song is now so still and deep
I seldom catch a word.
For nestling in tha heart asleep,
'Tla only felt, not heard.
Sva Emery Djra,
4