She gave each verse with the same just variety as if she had
been reciting, and, when she came to the last, where the thought rises
abruptly, and is truly noble, she sang it with the sudden pathos, the
weight, and the swelling majesty, of a truthful soul hymning truth with
all its powers.
All the hearers, even Sampson, were thrilled, astonished, spell-bound: so
can one wave of immortal music and immortal verse (alas! how seldom they
meet!) heave the inner man when genius interprets. Judge, then, what it
was to Alfred, to whom, with these great words and thrilling tones of her
rich, swelling, ringing voice, the darling of his own heart vowed
constancy, while her inspired face beamed on him like an angel's.
Even Mrs. Dodd, though acquainted with the song, and with her daughter's
rare powers, gazed at her now with some surprise, as well as admiration,
and kept a note Sarah had brought her, open, but unread, in her hand,
unable to take her eyes from the inspired songstress. However, just
before the song ended, she did just glance down, and saw it was signed
Richard Hardie.
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