Part 9 (1/2)

”'C.B. PHIPPS.

”'BUCKINGHAM PALACE, July 22, 1854, LONDON.'”

”In May, 1854, she received an invitation through the Rev.

Mr. Geary to sing at a concert, but declined, being advised not to sing at public concerts until her return to the United States. She therefore sang only at private parties until July, 1854, when that same n.o.ble benefactress, the d.u.c.h.ess of Sutherland, secured for her two places in 'The Indiana' steam-packet for New York.

”With a warm invitation to revisit England at some future period, she embarked at Southampton to return to America.”

The trip to London and its attendant circ.u.mstances resulted in much benefit to Miss Greenfield in an intrinsic, artistic sense, adding decided _eclat_ to her professional reputation. ”The New-York Herald,”

a journal which in those days was generally quite averse to bestowing even well-merited praise upon persons of her race, was, however, so much moved upon by her exhibition of an increased technical knowledge of the lyric art as to speak of Miss Greenfield as follows: ”'The Swan' sings now in true artistic style, and the wonderful powers of her voice have been developed by good training.” This was but echoing the general verdict.

During the years that intervened between Miss Greenfield's return from England and her death,--the latter event occurring at Philadelphia in the month of April, 1876,--she was engaged in singing occasionally at concerts, and in giving lessons in vocal music.

Remembering her own hard contests as she ascended the hill of fame, Miss Greenfield ever held out a helping hand to all whom she found struggling to obtain a knowledge of the n.o.ble art of music.

Possessing, on account of her great vocal abilities, the high esteem of the general public, from a rare amiability of disposition enjoying the warm love of many friends in those private circles where she was always an ornament and a blessing, this wonderfully gifted lady at the age of sixty-eight years died, deeply mourned by all. Of her brilliant career, of her life, which, in many important respects, was so grandly useful, as well as of her peaceful death, nothing more need here be added, further than to place her name in the honorable list of those of whom Milton so eloquently says,--

”Nothing is here for tears; nothing to wail, Or knock the breast; no weakness, no contempt, Dispraise, or blame; _nothing but well and fair_, And what may quiet us in a death so n.o.ble.”

VI.

THE ”LUCA FAMILY,”

VOCALISTS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS.

”G.o.d sent his singers upon earth With songs of sadness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men, And bring them back to heaven again....

But the great Master said, 'I see No best in kind, but in degree: I gave a various gift to each,-- To charm, to strengthen, and to teach.'”

_From_ LONGFELLOW'S _The Singers_.

While nearly all persons have to a greater or lesser degree musical sympathy and capability, or, to speak generally, capacity for the enjoyment or production, in one way or another, of harmony; and while, too, a goodly number there are who possess what may be called musical apt.i.tude,--it is yet only once in a great while that we find those who are thus endowed in a degree which may be considered extraordinary.

For the Muses, however often and earnestly invoked, are never lavish in the bestowment of their favors. This is especially true as applied to the G.o.ddess who presides over the art of music. Only here and there is some one selected to whom is given great musical inspiration; into whose keeping is placed the divine harp, which, when swept by his hands, the people shall hear entranced.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

1. ALEXANDER C. LUCA, SEN.

2. CLEVELAND O. LUCA.

3. ALEXANDER C. LUCA, JUN.

4. JOHN W. LUCA.]

Occasionally we may observe in families one member who appears particularly favored by nature in the possession of rich and varied musical talents, the same being improved by careful cultivation. Such a one readily attracts attention: his native endowments and his extensive acquirements often form the theme of conversation, of warmest praise; while everywhere he is a most welcome guest. But, if in a family a single instance of this kind produces the effects just described, the latter can but be greatly enhanced when is found a family composed of a number of persons in no wise small, each one of which is a highly-talented and finely-educated musician. It is, however,--for the reasons already mentioned,--so rare a thing to see the musical faculty thus possessed, and its advantages thus fully embraced, by an entire household of nearest relatives, as to render the circ.u.mstance a cause of much surprise; while a family so greatly skilled in the most beautiful, the most charming, of all arts, easily attains to high distinction, its members becoming objects of such general private and public interest as to render their careers quite worthy of the best efforts of those who would make the same a matter of history.

The foregoing remarks, although made in a somewhat general way, may be particularly applied to that excellent troupe of artists, the ”Luca family,” a brief account of whose remarkable natural endowments, superior acquirements, and interesting musical life, is here appended.