of almost insuperable obstacles was now rewarded. She was the great
artist of Sweden, never again to be taken from the pedestal on which she
was placed by an adoring public, both for her wonderful singing and for
her lovely character.
Once on a disengaged night, she gave a benefit performance for
unfortunate children, and when informed of the large sum raised by it,
exclaimed, "How beautiful that I can sing so!" She felt that both the
voice and the money which poured in now in a golden flood, were
God-given responsibilities which she assumed with all the earnestness of
her sweet, religious nature, and her first pleasure was to buy a little
home in the country for her mother and father.
As we leave her on the threshold of mature womanhood, serene in her
poise of body and spirit, with a noble purpose and a wonderful gift, we
can but feel that Jenny Lind, the girl, was responsible for the
marvellous achievements of the great artist of later years, who believed
as she said, that "to develop every talent, however small, and use it to
the fullest extent possible, is the duty of every human being. Indolence
makes thousands of mediocre lives."
The verses written of her by Topelius of Finland sum up the feeling of
those who knew her in her girlhood:
"I saw thee once, so young and fair
In thy sweet spring-tide, long ago,
A myrtle wreath was in thy hair
And at thy breast a rose did blow.
"Poor was thy purse, yet gold thy gift,
All music's golden boons were thine,
And yet, through all the wealth of art
It was thy soul which sang to mine.
"Yea, sang as no one else has sung
So subtly skilled, so simply good,
So brilliant! yet as pure and true
As birds that warble in the wood."
ELIZA LUCAS:
A Girl Planter of the 15th Century
IN our day any young woman who shows keen interest in civic,
agricultural, or social reforms is loudly applauded and spoken of as a
New Woman, a product of the twentieth century, but there is a small
volume of letters written by a girl of two centuries ago, which
disproves this, and it is worthy of perusal and applause because of what
she accomplished for what was then the province of South Carolina, while
she was still in her teens.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lucas, an officer in the English army stationed at
the West Indian island of Antigua, left the island in 1638 for South
Carolina, taking with him his delicate wife, in search of a climate
which would be of benefit to her, and with them went their two
daughters, Polly and Eliza, who up to that time had been in London with
a family friend, Mrs. Boddicott, being educated, only returning to the
island for their vacations. Their brothers, Tom and George, were also in
London at school, where they remained while Colonel and Mrs. Lucas with
the two girls went to the new locality. So delighted with it was the
Colonel that he at once bought land, laid out plantations and was hoping
to settle down and begin experiments in planting crops in the strange
soil and climate, when war broke out between England and Spain and the
Colonel received orders to hasten back to his West Indian post, leaving
his family alone in their new home. Mrs. Lucas was entirely too frail to
burden with plantation cares, so in his hurried leave-taking the Colonel
entrusted all his affairs to Eliza, in whose practical common sense and
business ability he seems to have placed implicit reliance, and the
trust was well merited.
Eliza was only sixteen years old then, but she seems to have assumed the
unusual amount of responsibility so unexpectedly thrust upon her with
calm assurance that she could carry it, and we find her general manager
of the home and the plantation when the series of letters begin which
gives such a vivid glimpse of life at that time, and also some idea of
the character of the girl on whose slender shoulders rested such a heavy
burden.
First, let us look for a moment at the background to our picture. The
Lucas plantation was on the Wappoo, a salt creek connecting the Ashley
river with another creek and separated from the ocean only by two long
sandy islands. Although that part of the country was very flat, it was
extremely pretty, and being on a salt creek, sheltered from the north
winds, the climate was very mild. Trees grew to a great size, land was
very fertile, all growth hardy and luxuriant, and it was no wonder that
even in his short stay Colonel Lucas had become deeply interested in
discovering what crops could be most profitably raised there for export.
At that time rice was the one agricultural product, the others being
lumber, skins and naval stores.
Eliza, inheriting her father's love of farming, and having heard many
conversations on the subject, determined secretly after her father had
gone, to try some experiments herself and became much interested in
trying to raise indigo and ginger, with what results her letters
disclose. Little farmer that she was, her love of agriculture and of
nature then and always amounted to almost a passion, as it is easy to
see. Separated as she was from all her old friends, letters were a vital
medium of expressing to them what her new life held of work and play,
and the fragments which we can reprint here give a clear idea, not only
of the times in which she lived, but of Mistress Eliza herself.
To her brother George she writes, telling of the new country and life in
this fashion:--
I am now set down my Dear Brother to obey your
commands, and give you a short discription of the
part of the world which I now inhabit. So.
Carolina then, is a large and Extensive Country
near the Sea. Most of the settled parts of it is
upon a flat--the soil near Charles Town Sandy, but
farther distant clay and swamp land. It abounds
with fine navigable rivers and great quantities of
fine timber. The country at great distance, that
is to say about a hundred or a hundred and fifty
miles from Charles Town, very hilly. The soil in
general very fertile, and there is very few
European or American fruits or grain but what grow
here. The country abounds with wild fowl, Venison
and fish, Beaf, veal and mutton are here in much
greater perfection than in the Islands, tho' not
equal to that in England--but their pork exceeds
the wild, and indeed all the poultry is exceeding
good, and peaches, Nectrins and mellons of all
sorts extremely good, fine and in profusion, and
their Oranges exceed any I ever tasted in the West
Indies or from Spain or Portugal.
The people in general--hospitable and honest, and
the better sort and to these a polite gentile
behaviour. The poorer sort are the most indolent
people in the world or they could never be
wretched in so plentiful a country as this. The
winters here are very fine and pleasant, but four
months in the year is extremely disagreeable,
excessive hot, much thunder and lightening and
muskatoes and sand flies in abundance.
C^s Town, the Metropolis is a neat, pretty
place. The streets and houses regularly built, the
ladies and gentlemen gay in their dress, upon the
whole you will find as many agreeable people of
both sexes for the size of the place as almost
anywhere. St. Phillips church in C^s Town is a
very elegant one, and much frequented and the
generality of people of a religious turn of mind.
I began in haste and have observed no method or I
should have told you before I came to summer, that
we have a charming spring in this country,
especially for those who travel through the
country, for the scent of the young mirtle and
yellow Jessamin with Which the woods abound is
delightful. . . .
Yours most affectionately,
E. LUCAS.
With its quaint wording and abbreviations and an occasional slip in
spelling, how fragrant the whole letter is of out door life, how
intelligent its every phrase is, and how well the little farmer knows
her subjects!
Again to Mrs. Boddicott she wrote:
_Dear Madam_:--
I flatter myself it will be a satisfaction to you
to hear that I like this part of the world, as my
lott has fallen here, which I really do. I prefer
England to it 'tis true, but I think Carolina
greatly preferable to the West Indies, and was my
Papa here I should be very happy. We have a very
good acquaintance from whom we have received much
friendship and Civility. . . .
My Papa and Mama's great indulgence to mee leaves
it to mee to chuse our place of residence either
in town or country, but I think it more prudent as
well as most agreeable to my Mama and selfe to be
in the Country during my father's absence. Wee are
17 mile by land, and 6 by water from Charles Town
where wee have about 6 agreeable families around
us with whom wee live in great harmony. I have a
little library well furnished (for My Papa has
left mee most of his books) in w^{ch} I spend part
of my time. My Musick and the Garden w^{ch} I am
very fond of take up the rest that is not imployed
in business, of w^{ch} my father has left mee a
pretty good share, and indeed 'Twas unavoidable,
as my Mama's bad state of health prevents her
going thro' any fatigue.
I have the business of 3 plantations to transact,
w^{ch} requires much writing and more business and
fatigue of other sorts than you can imagine, but
lest you should imagine it too burthensome to a
girl at my early time of life, give mee leave to
assure you I think myself happy that I can be
useful to so good a father. By rising very early I
find I can go through with much business, but lest
you should think I shall be quite moaped with this
way of life, I am to inform you there is two
worthy Ladies in C^{rs} Town, Mrs. Pinckney and
Mrs. Cleland who are partial enough to mee to wish
to have mee with them, and insist upon my making
their houses my home when in Town, and press mee
to relax a little much oftner than 'tis in my
power to accept of their obliging intreaties, but
I am sometimes with one or the other for three
weeks or a monthe at a time, and then enjoy all
the pleasures C^{rs} Town affords. But nothing
gives mee more than subscribing myself
D^r Madam
Y^r most affectionet
and most obliged
hum^{ble} Ser^{vt}
ELIZA LUCAS.
Pray remember me in
the best manner to my
worthy friend M^r Boddicott.
To my good friend Mrs. Boddicott.
May ye 2^{ond}.
What greater proof is needed that Eliza's plantation life was no easy
matter than "I have the business of three plantations to transact,
w^{ch} requires much writing and more business and fatigue of other
sorts than you can imagine." Then comes the other side of the picture.
"I am sometimes with one or the other (Mrs. Pinckney or Mrs. Leland) for
three weeks or a month at a time and then enjoy all the pleasures C^{rs}
Town affords." Truly a versatile young person, this Eliza of long ago!
That her planting was no holiday business is shown by a memorandum of
July 1739:
"I wrote my father a very long letter on his
plantation affairs . . . on the pains I had taken to
bring the Indigo, Ginger, Cotton, Lucern, and
Cassada to perfection, and had greater hopes from
the Indigo--if I could have the seed earlier the
next year from the West Indies,--than any of ye
rest of y^e things I had tryd, . . . also concerning
pitch and tarr and lime and other plantation
affairs."
As has been said before, Eliza's ambition was to follow out her father's
plan, to discover some crop which could be raised successfully as a
staple export, and the determination and perseverance with which she set
out to accomplish the task, shows that she was made of no ordinary
stuff, even at sixteen, when the majority of girls were occupied with
far different activity and diversions. Indigo seems to have been the
crop most likely to succeed, and to that Eliza turned her attention with
the intensity of purpose which marked all her actions. It was no easy
achievement to cultivate indigo, as it required very careful preparation
of the soil, much attention during its growth, and a long and critical
process to prepare it for the market. After a series of experiments, she
reported to her father:
I wrote you in a former letter we had a fine crop
of Indigo seed upon the ground and since informed
you the frost took it before it was dry. I picked
out the best of it and had it planted but there is
not more than a hundred bushes of it come up,
w^{ch} proves the more unlucky, as you have sent a
man to make it. I make no doubt Indigo will prove
a very valueable commodity in time, if we could
have the seed from the east Indies time enough to
plant the latter end of March, that the seed might
be dry enough to gather before our frost. I am
sorry we lost this season we can do nothing
towards it now but make the works ready for next
year.
The death of my Grandmamma was as you imagine very
shocking and grevious to my Mama, but I hope the
consideration of the miserys that attend so
advanced an age will help time to wear it off. I
am very much obliged to you for the present you
were so good to send me of the fifty pound bill of
Exchange w^{ch} I duely received. Mama tenders you
her affections and polly joyns in duty with
My dear Papa
Your ob^t and ever Devoted Daughter,
_E. Lucas_.
In the following letters we find her showing a lively interest in all
that concerns her father, her brothers, her "cousens" and neighbours,
and also a normally healthy liking for amusement, linked with her
passionate love of nature and a milder interest in pretty clothes--and a
still milder form of interest in love affairs!
Hard indeed it is in this day of quick delivery to realize the
inconveniences of daily life in Eliza's time, and it evokes a smile to
hear that if she or one of the family had neuralgia, it was necessary to
write an account of the symptoms to Mrs. Boddicott in November, followed
by a letter of thanks to her for her promptness, because of which "the
meddicines will arrive by May, and tis allways worse in hott weather!"
Think of waiting six months for a dose of medicine!
Eliza has already mentioned two neighbours of whom she had become very
fond, and between her and Miss Pinckney's niece, a Miss Bartlett, who
lived with Mrs. Pinckney either in her home in Charles Town, or at their
country seat five miles out of town, a flourishing correspondence sprang
up, and the following are some of Eliza's letters to her friend:
Jan^r 14th, 1741/2.
_Dear Miss Bartlett:_:--
'Tis with pleasure I commence a Correspondence
w^{ch} you promise to continue tho' I fear I shall
often want matter to soport an Epistolary
Intercourse in this solotary retirement--;
however, you shall see my inclination, for rather
than not scribble, you shall know both my waking
and sleeping dreams, as well as how the spring
comes on, when the trees bud, and inanimate nature
grows gay to chear the rational mind with delight;
and devout gratitude to the great Author of all;
when my little darling that sweet harmonist the
mocking bird, begins to sing.
Our best respects wait on Col^l. Pinckney and
lady, and believe me to be dear Miss Bartlett
Your most obed^t Serv^t
E. LUCAS.
Again she writes in a tone of quaint sarcasm:
_Dear Miss Bartlett_:--
An old lady in our Neighbourhood is often
querreling with me for rising so early as 5
o'Clock in the morning, and is in great pain for
me least it should spoil my marriage, for she says
it will make me look old long before I am so; in
this however I believe she is mistaken, for what
ever contributes to health and pleasure of mind
must also contribute to good looks; but admitting
what she says, I reason with her thus. If I should
look older by this practise, I really am so; for
the longer time we are awake the longer time we
live, sleep is so much the Emblem of death, that I
think it may be rather called breathing than
living, thus then I have the advantage of the
sleepers in point of long life, so I beg you will
not be frighted by such sort of apprehensions as
those suggested above and for fear of y^r pretty
face give up y^r late pious resolution of early
rising.
My Mama joins with me in comp^{ts}. to M^r and
M^{rs} Pinckney. I send herewith Col^l Pinckney's
books, and shall be much obliged to him for
Virgil's books, notwithstanding this same old
Gentlewoman, (who I think too has a great
friendship for me) has a great spite at my books,
and had like to have thrown a vol^m of my
Plutarcks lives into the fire the other day, she
is sadly afraid she says I shall read myself
mad. . . .
Again in this strain, on the 6th of February, 1741, she writes, showing
that although she would have taken a girlish pleasure in amusement, her
sense of duty was too keen to allow her to leave the plantation very
often:
TO THE HONOURABLE C. PINCKNEY, ESQ.
Feb^r 6th, 1741.
_Sir_:--I received yesterday the favour of your
advice as a phisician and want no arguments to
convince me I should be much better for both my
good friends company, a much pleasanter
Prescription yours is, I am sure, than Doc^t
Mead's w^{ch} I have just received. To follow my
inclination at this time, I must endeavor to
forget I have a Sister to instruct, and a parcel
of little Negroes whom I have undertaken to teach
to read, and instead of writing an answer bring it
My self, and indeed gratitude as well as
inclination obliges me to wait on M^{rs} Pinckney
as soon as I can, but it will not be in my power
til a month or two hence. Mama payes her comp^{ts}
to Mrs Pinckney, and hopes she will excuse her
waiting on her at this time, but will not fail to
do it very soon.
I am a very Dunce, for I have not acquired y^e
writing short hand yet with any degree of
swiftness--but I am not always one for I give a
very good proof of the brightness of my Genius
when I can distinguish well enough to subscribe my
self with great esteem.
Sir
Your most obe^d humble Serv^t
ELIZA LUCAS.
And again:
Why my dear Miss Bartlett, will you so often
repeat y^r desire to know how I trifle away my
time in our retirement in my father's absence;
could it afford you advantage or pleasure I would
not have hesitated, but as you can expect neither
from it I would have been excused; however, to
show you my readiness in obeying y^r commands,
here it is.
In gen^l then I rise at five o'Clock in the
morning, read till seven--then take a walk in the
garden or fields, see that the Servants are at
their respective business, then breakfast. The
first hour after breakfast is spent in musick, the
next is constantly employed in recolecting
something I have learned, lest for want of
practise it should be quite lost, such as french
and shorthand. After that, I devote the rest of
the time till I dress for dinner, to our little
polly, and two black girls who I teach to read,
and if I have my papa's approbation (my mama's I
have got) I intend for school mistress's for the
rest of the Negroe children. Another scheme you
see, but to proceed, the first hour after dinner,
as the first after breakfast, at musick, the rest
of the afternoon in needle work till candle light,
and from that time to bed time read or write.
Mondays my musick Master is here. Tuesday my
friend M^{rs} Chardon (about 3 miles distant) and
I are constantly engaged to each other, she at our
house one Tuesday I at hers the next, and this is
one of y^e happiest days I spend at Wappoo.
Thursday the whole day except what the necessary
affairs of the family take up, is spent in
writing, either on the business of the plantations
or on letters to my friends. Every other Friday,
if no company, we go a vizeting, so that I go
abroad once a week and no oftener.
Now you may form some judgment of what time I can
have to work my lappets. I own I never go to them
with a quite easy conscience as I know my father
has an avertion to my employing my time in that
boreing work, but they are begun, and must be
finished, I hate to undertake anything and not go
thro' with it, but by way of relaxation from the
other, I have begun a piece of work of a quicker
sort, w^{ch} requires neither eyes nor genius, at
least not very good ones. Would you ever guess it
to be a shrimp nett? for so it is.
O! I had like to forgot the last thing I have done
a great while. I have planted a large figg
orchard, with design to dry them, and export them.
I have reckoned my expense and the profits to
arise from those figgs, but was I to tell you how
great an Estate I am to make this way, and how
'tis to be laid out, you would think me far gone
in romance. Y^r good Uncle I know has long thought
I have a fertile brain at scheming, I only confirm
him in his opinion; but I own I love the vegitable
world extreamly. I think it an innocent and useful
amusement, and pray tell him if he laughs much at
my projects, I never intend to have any hand in a
silver mine, and he will understand as well as
you, what I mean! Our best respects wait on him,
and Mrs. Pinckney.
If my eyes dont deceive me, you in y^r last talk
of coming very soon by water, to see how my oaks
grow, is it really so, or only one of your unripe
schemes. While 'tis in y^r head put it speedily
into execution.
Lappets were fashionable parts of the headdresses worn at that time even
by young girls, and one can read between her words that Eliza would have
enjoyed giving more time to the feminine diversion of embroidery or fine
sewing, much in vogue in that day, had her father approved of it. Then
with a quick change of mood she shows her real interest in planting a
"figg" orchard!--oh, many-sided Eliza!
There are numerous letters too long to include in this sketch, which
show the girl's religious, artistic and philosophical tendencies, and
through them all we feel the quiet poise of a mind at rest, of a spirit
in true harmony with the simplest pleasures of a simple life; and that
nature was always her first love, is shown by this letter:
Wont you laugh at me if I tell you I am so busy in
providing for Posterity I hardly allow myself time
to Eat or sleep and can but just snatch a minute
to write to you and a friend or two more.
I am making a large plantation of oaks w^{ch} I
look upon as my own property, whether my father
gives me the land or not, and therefore I design
many years hence when oaks are more valuable than
they are now, w^{ch} you know they will be when we
come to build fleets, I intend I say, 2 thirds of
the produce of my oaks for charrity, (I'll let you
know my scheme another time) and the other 3^d
for those that shall have the trouble of puting my
design in Execution; I suppose according to custom
you will show this to y^r Uncle and Aunt. 'She
is a good girl' says M^{rs} Pinckney, 'she is
never Idle and always means well'--'tell the
little Visionary,' says your Uncle, 'come to town
and partake of some of the amusements suitable to
her time of life,' pray tell him I think these so,
and what he may now think whims and projects may
turn out well by and by--out of many surely one
may hitt.
I promised to tell you when the mocking-bird began
to sing, the little warbler has done wonders; the
first time he opened his soft pipe this spring he
inspired me with the spirrit of Rymeing and
produced the 3 following lines while I was laceing
my Stays.
Sing on thou charming mimick of the feather kind
And let the rational a lesson learn from these
To mimick (not defects) but harmony.
If you let any mortal besides yourself see this
exquisite piece of poetry, you shall never have a
line more than this specimen, and how great will
be your loss you who have seen the above may judge
as well as
Y^r most obed^t Serv^t
ELIZA LUCAS.
Was there ever a more charming example of girlish enthusiasm combined
with executive ability, and artistic feeling than this?