"

"This tragedy nearly killed Elizabeth | May heaven continue to her such health and Barrett. She was utterly prostrated by the such happiness!"-International.

WILLIAM VINCENT WALLACE.

THIS remarkable man is occupying so large a share of public attention at the present time, that partly from a desire to keep pace with the times, and mostly to gratify our admiration of his genius, we feel constrained to say a few words about him.

It is difficult to state when Art begins in one whom God has gifted with genius; its principles unrecognized, are present when consciousness begins to dawn upon the infant mind, and everything within and without tends at first indirectly to develope the innate susceptibility to impressions of the beautiful, from which all true music springs. It is certain that where such genius exists, its very earliest years are susceptible to the most rapturous sensations from musical sounds. It may be that the gifted one is unable to combine the musical ideas it dwells so dotingly upon; it may be also, that it cannot analyze the emotions that shake the young heart with a fullness of delight; but the soul recognizes the harmony which is a principle of its existence-an essence of its being, and the mystic spring is unsealed from whence in after years shall flow the streams of melody that will immortalize a name, and make poster.ty its debtor.

horror and the grief, and by a natural, but a most unjust feeling that she had been, in some sort, the cause of this great misery. It was not until the following year that she could be removed, in an invalid carriage, and by journeys of twenty miles a day, to her afflicted family and her London home. The house that she occupied at Torquay, had been chosen as one of the most sheltered in the place. It stood at the bottom of the cliffs, almost close to the sea; and she told me herself, that during that whole winter, the sound of the waves rang in her ears like the moans of the dying. Still she clung to literature and to Greek; in all probability she would have died without that wholesome diversion of her thoughts. Her medical attendant did not always understand this. To prevent the remonstrances of her friendly physician, Dr. Barry, she caused a small edition of Plato to be so bound as to resemble a novel. He did not know, skilful and kind though he were, that to her, such books were not an arduous and painful study, but a consolation and a delight. Returned to London, she began the life which she continued for so many years, confined to one large and commodious, but darkened chamber, admitting only her own affectionate family and a few devoted friends-(I myself have often joyfully travelled five-and-forty miles to see her, and returned the same evening without entering another house)We will leave some minute historian to reading almost every book worth reading in decide at what period WILLIAM VINCENT almost every language, and. giving herself, WALLACE first recognized the presence of heart and soul, to that poetry of which she strong musical influence; we shall consider seemed born to be the priestess. Gradually ourselves sufficiently minute in our narraher health improved. About four years tion, if we commence with the commenceago she married Mr. Browning, and imme- ment of his public career. Very few have diately accompanied him to Pisa. They achieved so responsible a post, at so early a then settled at Florence; and this summer period of life. But Wallace, independent of have had the exquisite pleasure of seeing her his fine genius, had many early advantages once more in London, with a lovely boy at His father was the master of a military band, her knee, almost as well as ever, and telling and an excellent practical musician, playing tales of Italian rambles, of losing herself in nearly every instrument in the orchestra.— chestnut forests, and scrambling on mule-Young Wallace displayed a wonderful aptiback up the sources of extinct volcanoes.tude to excel his father in all these accom

I

heart seemed to spring at once into vivid life, and he became possessed with the great musical desire. Much to the surprise of his host, he played first fiddle to the next quartette, and so they played on till morning.— The fame of his playing spread through the town like wildfire, and reached the ears of the Governor, Sir John Burke, who persuaded Wallace to give a concert. After much persuasion, he consented. His success was great, and Sir John Burke, as a mark of his delight, sent him two hundred sheep, which was in that country a princely gift.

plishments, and at the age of fifteen could handle with considerable mastery nearly every instrument, and could play with extraordinary excellence, the piano-forte, the violin, the clarionette, and the guitar. Nor was this a display of mere mechanical facility; his great store of mechanical power was practically applied, for he had written over two hundred compositions, fantasies, marches, &c., for military bands, before the period at which we have commenced his history. So Wallace at fifteen, though a young leader, was an old musician. His position in Dublin, brought him in contact with all the musical celebrities of that day, and we have no doubt that his musical pur-nautical phrase, he became a "roving blade," poses were much strengthened by the kind encouragement and judicious commendation of Paganini, Catalini, and others.

After giving several concerts, a restless desire to travel seized upon him, and to use a

he wandered,be and his fiddle,into “strange countries." First he visited Van Dieman's, then New Zealand, from whence he went on For three years he occupied a high musi- a whaling voyage in the South Seas. In cal position in Dublin, and had the honor of New Zealand he met with many hairbreadth directing the first performance of Beetho-escapes, which we have not space to enuven's "Mount of Olives," in Ireland. At merate. From New Zealand he journeyed the age of eighteen his strength seemed to to the East Indies. With that unconscioussink under the pressure of his many studies ness, or recklessness of danger which was and pressing engagements. A long sea voy-his characteristic in those days, he penetraage was recommended for the establishment ted far into the interior, and encountered of his health; so he packed up his fiddle, "incidents" of travel from which nothing what else we do not know, and sailed for Sidney, far away in the South Seas. For a long period after his arrival in Sidney, he led an active life; his fiddle remained unpacked, and he literally plunged into the bush. But for one characteristic circumstance the world might never have known Wallace, the composer; and he might now be counting his sheep and telling the hoards of wealth they produce-or perhaps digging up heaps of gold at Bathurst.

but a remarkable coolness and presence of mind could have delivered him. After seeing all he deemed worthy, tiger hunting included, he longed for change of scene, and so started from Madras, after half a day's thought, for Valparaiso, in South America.From Santiago, he crossed the majestic Cordilleras of the Andes, to Buenos Ayres, where his stay, however, on account of the blockade, was but brief. He returned to Santiago, where he displayed a remarkable eviDuring one of his brief visits to the town dence of his enthusiasm for Art. He had of Sidney, he was invited by some friends given a pledge to play at a concert, on a to attend a musical party. He went, little certain day, in Valparaiso, for the benefit of dreaming how that evening was to influence a charity; but some circumstances drove the his destiny for ever,and to add another name promise from his memory. Being reminded to the bright list of musical celebrities.- by a friend of the fact, when it was appaWhen he entered the room, he saw four gen-rently impossible for him to reach Valparaitlemen seated round a table, working away, so in time, Wallace resolved to ride on horsewith greater will than power, at a duetto of back the whole distance, one hundred and Mozart. All the music slumbering at his twenty-five miles, to keep faith; and he

performed this equestrian feat with thirteen horses in less than eleven hours, and was in time for the concert. From Chili he went to Peru, and gave a concert at Lima, which produced the large sum of $5,000.

He then visited the West Indies; from thence to Vera Cruz, Tampico, and the City of Mexico. His success in these cities was great, and there can be but little doubt that he realized a vast amount of money. In New Orleans his triumph was more gratifying than any triumph he had yet achieved, for it was wrung from a highly critical and most exacting audience. So great was the enthusiasm his performance excited, that the musicians in the orchestra forgot to play, and kaid down their instruments to join in the tumult of applause. From New Orleans he journeyed through the States, and his concerts were literally a succession of triumphs.

upon by all as a gifted, wonderful, and ec-
centric genius, and as a musician of high at-
tainments. His compositions for the instru-
ments upon which he played, were acknowl-
edged as full of originality and power; but
no one, we are very sure, ever dreamed that
William Vincent Wallace would, in a few
years, take his stand among the greatest
mental musicians of his age; that he would
quench the inspirations of the great execu-
tant,and stand forth as a creator of enduring
works; that he would rise from the chrysa-
lis of a player, to the full-grown stature of a
But
musician-a creator-a composer!
Wallace had dreamed his dream, and went

to London, full of high aspirations, and pre-
pared to work in that great mill, where there
were many workers, and some of whom had
won the world's good favor. It was a bold
push for fortune, for though his name was
well known, there were many who had the
start of him by many years, and there was
no place for him. He had to make a place
for himself. And so he went to work. As
a pianist, he took a position at once; but

We remember as well as though it were but yesterday, and it is now nearly eight years ago, being one of a party invited to Col. James L. Hewitt's rooms, over his music store, now Wm. Hall & Son's, to meet a new musical wonder from the South. We there were many good pianists, some of were introduced to a tall, slim, and gentle-them the rage, and piano compositions were manly man, carefully and elegantly dressed. a drug in the market. We have often heard There was high intelligence in his face, but Wallace tell how, on his first arrival in Lonit seemed to lack fire; there was a languor don, he left some of his piano compositions in his air, which made us think that the lux- with C., the publisher of Bond street, and urious indolence of the South had become,as how, on his second visit, they were politely it were, a part of his nature. He seemed handed back to him; how he, on his return half-a-dreaming, and the wild romance of home, somewhat discomfited, but with an his life, which spread abroad, linked half-a- inward consciousness of future greatness, dozen heart-rending love tales with the name marked on the margin of said pieces—“ reof our melancholy musician. He played the fused by C., on such a date," and how, after piano-his famous Cracovienne was the first the triumphant success of Maritana,he came piece, and it was generally acknowledged to his lodgings, and gave him twenty guithat he was the greatest pianist that had then neas for one of the very pieces he had forvisited America. But when he took his vi- merly refused, even as a gift; and how they olin in hand, and exhibited such extraordi- had a hearty laugh at the turn of fortune's nary mastery over the instrument, and such wheel.-Musical World. impassioned sentiment, we were, one and all, carried away with mingled feelings of astonishment and delight. His success in this country, which followed this well-remembered evening, is familiar to all, and we need not reiterate it. He was looked

No man is so truly gaeat, whatever other titles te eminence he may have, as when, afteer taking an errroneous step, he resolves to "tread that step backwards.”

With Amaranthiae flowers, which time nor change sailing westward, founded Carthage, and

yet remain in the land. The round towers,
which still stand like solitary columns in her
valleys, were erected at a period beyond the
reach of history, and are believed to have
been reared for the worship of the sun.-
The feastings and cries of the peasantry at
funerals-the Irish wakes-is a custom
which carries us back directly to the East.
Even thus early, portions of the country
The
were inhabited by a powerful race.
Irish trace far back into this period the line
of their kings. "Remember," says Ossian,
"the kings of Erin; the stately forms of old.
Let not the fallen be forgot, they were
mighty in the field."

The

Monas

Africa and in Spain, and from thence cross-chiefs and vassals together embraced the ed to Ireland, the outer limit of the then new religion. known world. Traces of this Asiatic origin Then rose churches and abbeys in many a sequestered valley of Ireland. Then were the hill-sides pressed by pious feet. convent bell rang across the vale. teries crowned many a hill, which were the repositories at once of learning and of Christianity. From the sixth to the eighth ceutury, Ireland was confessedly in advance of England in civilization and in piety.Hither came the great Alfred to obtain that learning which his own kingdom could not afford. Irish missionaries propagated the gospel in the surrounding nations. land the Anglo-Saxon king Oswald applied for learned men to teach his people Christianity. An Irish monk, Columba, founded the monastery in the sacred island of Iona, "which was once the luminary of the Cale donia regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion."*

But the island was but partially reclaimed by these bands of adventurers. The country itself was still a wilderness, a wild waste of lakes and mountains, of bogs and moors.The aboriginal savages still roamed through interminable forests. Bears had their dens in rocky caverns. The wolf came down to drink of her mountain lakes, and the deer slept in his covert unscared by the cry of the hunter. Wild fowl haunted her inland waters, and the eagle sailed along her north-heard in the halls of Tara. ern rocky shores. The island lay in the solitude of nature.

At length came Christianity, the true civilizer of nations. A holy man landed on the shores of Ireland. The life of St. Patrick is enveloped in some degree of obscurity, and perhaps looms up large in the twilight of tradition. Still there seems no reason to doubt that there was such a man, who came over the sea in the fifth century, and devoted himself to the conversion of the poor islanders. He gathered them in the open fields or under the shade of an aged oak, at the sound of a drum," and preached to them the gospel. The savages sat at his feet in mute wonder as he related the story of the cross. They werewon by his mildness, and awed by the sanctity of his life. And

• Neander's History of the Church.

To Ire

The Irish chieftains derived wealth and power from the civilization of their people, and began to assume a rude, barbaric splen dor. Lofty castles rose in which the bards of Erin, like those of Wales, sung of the deeds of their ancestors, and the harp was

The Irish still linger with fondness on the traditions of ancient days. It is natural for an imaginative and high-spirited peoplecrushed by superior power-to try to forget their present wretchedness in the recollection of ancient glory. The Greek and the Italian, fallen, have never forgotten their former name. In twenty centuries the intense life of the ancient races has not become extinct. "Still in their ashes live their wonted fires." So the traditional glories of Ireland give a charm to her hills and valleys. The songs of her ancient bards linger on the air, fainter and fainter, yet still more sweet, like the sound of bells dying away in the distance.t

Johnson's Tour to the Hebrides.

+Whoever is curious in such matters will find the subject of Irish Antiquities treated at great length in Moore's History of Ireland.