Artists who sang to her, or those who
rehearsed the finest music on the piano or violin or flute, or those
who brought their pictures and put them before her while she
listened,--they alone, in a measure, understood what these things
signified, and how she was lifted quite away by them from the ordinary
level of life. They were inspired to do for her what they could seldom
do for any other creature; and her generous response, overflowing,
almost extravagant in expression, was never half enough to begin to
tell the new life they brought to her. The following lines from a
sonnet addressed to the tenor singer William J. Winch, a singer who
has given much pleasure to many persons by his beautiful voice, will
convey some idea of the deep feeling which his ardent rendering of
great songs stirred in her:--
"Carry us captive, thou with the strong heart
And the clear head, and nature sweet and sound!
Most willing captives we to thy great art.
* * * * *
Sing, and we ask no greater joy than this,
Only to listen, thrilling to the song,
* * * * *
Borne skyward where the winged hosts rejoice."
Mrs. Thaxter found herself, as the years went on, the centre of a
company who rather selected themselves than were selected from the
vast number of persons who frequented her brothers' "house of
entertainment" at the islands. Her "parlor," as it was called, was a
_milieu_ quite as interesting as any of the "salons" of the past.
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