London, May, 1853.
We cannot refrain from quoting Mrs. Stowe's description of the concert,
after dinner at the Stafford house.
"The concert room was the brilliant and picturesque hall I have
before described to you. It looked more picture like and dreamy
than ever. The piano was on the flat stairway just below the broad
central landing. It was a grand piano, standing end outward, and
perfectly banked up among hot house flowers, so that only its
gilded top was visible. Sir George Smart presided. The choicest of
the _élite_ were there. Ladies in demi-toilet and bonneted. Miss
Greenfield stood among the singers on the staircase, and excited a
pathetic murmur among the audience. She is not handsome, but looked
very well. She has a pleasing dark face, wore a black velvet
head-dress, and white cornelian ear-rings, a black moire antique
silk, made high in the neck, with white lace falling sleeves, and
white gloves. A certain gentleness of manner and self-possession,
the result of the universal kindness shown her, sat well upon her.
Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Ambassador, sat by me. He looked at
her with much interest. "Are the race often as good looking?" he
said. I said, "She is not handsome compared with many, though I
confess she looks uncommonly well to-day." The singing was
beautiful; six of the most cultivated glee singers of London sang,
among other things, "Spring's delights are now returning," and
"Where the bee sucks, there lurk I." The Duchess said, "These glees
are peculiarly English." Miss Greenfield's turn for singing now
came, and there was profound attention. Her voice, with its keen,
searching fire, its penetrating vibrant quality, its "_timbre_," as
the French have it, cut its way like a Damascus blade to the heart.
It was the more touching from the occasional rusticities and
artistic defects, which showed that she had received no culture
from art. She sung the ballad, "Old folks at home," giving one
verse in the soprano, and another in the tenor voice. As she stood
partially concealed by the piano, Chevalier Bunsen thought that the
tenor part was performed by one of the gentlemen. He was perfectly
astonished when he discovered that it was by her. This was
rapturously encored. Between the parts, Sir George took her to the
piano, and tried her voice by skips, striking notes here and there
at random, without connexion, from D in alto to A first space in
bass clef; she followed with unerring precision, striking the sound
nearly at the same instant his finger touched the key. This brought
out a burst of applause."
Lord Shaftsbury was there; he came and spoke to us after the
concert. Speaking of Miss Greenfield, he said, "I consider the use
of these halls for the encouragement of an outcast race, a
consecration. This is the true use of wealth and splendour when
they are employed to raise up and encourage the despised and
forgotten."
When Mrs. Stowe's account of the concert was read to Miss
Greenfield, she remarked--"I _should_ have looked well to the
lady--for the black moire antique silk in which I was clad was the
gift of Mrs. Stowe, and made under her own direction. It cost her
seventy-five dollars." Mrs. Stowe's sympathy seemed ever to have
followed her with a watchful care. We find this interesting letter
among her papers of this date.
MY DEAR MISS GREENFIELD:--I am sorry I cannot see you before I
leave town, but I give you in parting my best wishes. Enclosed you
will find the bill for your dress and other things _receipted_--the
receipt you had better _keep_, lest by some mistake you be called
upon to pay the bill bye and bye--such mistakes sometimes happen.
And now, my dear friend, I hope that you will endeavour always,
first of all things, to _do what is right_. Trust in your heavenly
Father and Divine Saviour; read the Bible daily, and strive to know
his will.
Do not spend your Sundays in idleness or folly, but go regularly to
church, and try to profit by what you hear.
I trust that you will read in this little book the text for each
day--and I pray God to bless you.
There are a great many temptations in a life like yours, but if you
pray to God, he will be your Father and help you always to do right
and make your way plain before you.
Let me beg of you to be careful as to your dress. Do not dress low
in the neck--do not try for showy colours--but keep a _plain
modest_ respectable style.
It was for this purpose that I furnished you with a suit. These
things are very important for one in your position, and if rightly
managed will secure for you respect.
In your manners be just as simple as you always have been.--Don't
put on anything--don't try to pass for anything but what you really
are, and you will keep the friends that you have made. I hope to
hear good accounts of you when I return.
Your true and affectionate friend,
(Signed) H. B. Stowe.
If you wish to write to me, carry the letter to Samson Lowe, 47
Ludgate Hill, and he will send it to me. I shall be glad to hear
from you.