MY ORPHANAGE AND GOUNOD IN ENGLAND. PART I.— FRIENDSHIP. PART II.— BUSINESS. NARRATIVE BY V GEORGINA WELDON, On her method of Teaching Singing, General Training, and Education of , Children, Published for her •» PERSONAL JUSTIFICATION At the Request of her Friends. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY N. N. ENTERED AT STATIONERS' LONDON: THE MUSIC AND ART ASSOCIATION, 23^1 OXFORD STREET, \V. 1882. r, • ALL : RIGHTS RESERVED. • .- r- - ., Qui ! voila le miracle, inegal a tout autre, C'est qu'une bergerette, aveo sa foi d'apotre, Ait eu meilleur secours de ce peuple aux aboia Qu'avec tous leurs tremors lea favoris des roia. Mais quoi ! . cette candeur, a bon droit m^prisee Chez les sages de cour est matiere de ris^e ! ... Prodiguez votre sang, votre dme, votre cosur, D'un peuple agonisant refaites un vainqueur C'est par la calomnie, et I'injure, et la haine Que s'acquitte envers vous Pingratititde humaine, Et le premier effort du serpent irrite C'est de mordre la main qui I'a ressuscite ! Jeanne D'Arc (p. 122), J. P. BARBIEE. Literal Translation. Yes ! 'tis this the miracle unequalled by all other ; a shepherdess with tier apostle's faith has done more towards saving her beaten countrymen than all the treasures of the king's favourites . How now ! 'Tis this which is held up to derision by the wise statesmen of the Court ! Pour forth your blood, your heart, your soul. Give Victory to a people in its death-throes. 'Tii by calumny and abuse and hatred that human ingratitude acquits itself towards you, and the first effort the warmed adder makes, is to sting the hand which has saved it ! PREFACE TO MY ORPHANAGE AND GOUNOD IN ENGLAND. THE readers of these two volumes, FRIENDSHIP and BUSINESS, must bear in mind that they are written without any attempt at effect or sensationalism, or even grammar. They are printed simply as an explanation of the volume of "LETTRES ET DOCUMENTS ORIGINAUX," which were published in 1875-76. The volume BUSINESS was printed at the same time. FRIENDSHIP was re-written in 1878, and published in 1882. All the books, pamphlets, and articles I have written and pub lished, explain each other. Many things which may not appear quite clear, become so when the whole of the works have been read through carefully. When I first wrote them, I was in an agony of mind at the thought of doing Mr. Gounod grave injury by defending myself from the shocking calumnies he himself, from the first day he knew us up to the present one, has not scrupled to encourage the circulation- of, and to circulate against me. I did not know then that it was so exceedingly advantageous in the musical profession to be considered to have no reputation, or that foreign gaol-birds and adventurers would meet with the sym pathy and protection of our English Judges. I acknowledge from first to last that I have laboured under most serious delusions upon a great many points. Few people who read this history but will say — " How foolish Mr. and Mrs. Weldon were ! How indiscreet ! How imprudent ! How could they trust a French man ? The idea of slaving like that for three years without a stamped contract ! " Everybody is so much cleverer than I am ! ! ! So few people are swindled — are they not? So few people are caught by religious cant — are they not ? I wrote these books through blinding tears, with -despair in my heart — for my justification ; I clung to the belief in the good they would do me, as a drowning creature clutches at a straw; I earnestly prayed U PREFACE. my example might be a warning to other simpleminded enthusiasts. I now laugh at the books the whole way through ; it all appears to me so thoroughly ridiculous. Those who have read them say they would rather read them than the CAUDLE LECTURES ! ! ! I, there fore, publish them, still hoping others of my stamp may learn a lesson from them, that the sale of them may benefit my orphan children, that they may make people laugh, and that in a few years it will be acknowledged that I did work and always have worked for the public good, with complete abnegation of self, however SILLY I may be considered. I know now that it was utterly silly of me caring to protect either my own or my husband's honour ; that it was folly labouring for any one's interests but my very own. I know now that no one wishes a beautiful or talented woman to do anything with her beauty than to make the most of it for her own personal advantage, and, with her talent, than to show it off for her own personal and selfish ends, and for the amusement of "Society." No matter what her character may be, if she amuses Society, Her Majesty the Queen opens the doors of her palaces to her, and makes her regal presents. If a woman does as I have done, she will be hunted down till the doors of a prison close over her, as they have done in my case ; till the coarse dress of the low prostitute of the London gutters en cumbers her delicate limbs, and that she has been made to associate with pickpockets and murderesses on terms of equality. This, IN FACT, has been my experience of my reward and my encouragement for the work of Education I have so successfully carried on, but which, owing to intrigue upon intrigue (which shall be further described in future publications), I have been successfully prevented from carrying out. Mr. Gounod, who had allied himself to me for the avowed pur pose of helping me carrying out this work, after suffering years ot insult and persecution on my account, joined my enemies, and I am not ashamed to say, that after twelve years' hard struggles — my husband also having joined their ranks — I am forced to avow myself beaten, and obliged to give in. These volumes, appearing just before Mr. Gounod is to receive the crowning portion of the payment for his behaviour towards me, which he knew (from experience) he could rely on, namely, ^4000 from Mr. Littleton (who in 1871 would barely have paid him ^600 for the same work), it may be interesting to the public to read : — PREFACE. ill I. The answer of Mr. Gounod to a letter he received from Bal moral, dated 31st October, 1873. II. Mr. Gounod's answer, dated 24th November, 1873, to another letter received from Balmoral. III. A letter (same date) written by me to the same person at Balmoral. IV. A letter of Mr. Gounod, dated 19th July, 1872, to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. V. A letter of Mr. Gounod (date uncertain) to Mr. Richard Peyton, Secretary of the Birmingham Festival Committee. VI. And another, dated 31st October, 1873, from Mr. Gounod to Mr. Peyton. No. I. proves that all I have said in my pamphlet, The Quarrel of the Royal Albert Hall Co. (published in 1873) was very true, and that Her Majesty's gracious patronage was not so easy to obtain when Mr. Gounod was working for a noble and beautiful object, as it is now, when he is well known to have conducted himself in the way described in the volumes which follow. No. II. proves that, although my pamphlet could profit no one but Mr. Gounod, he allowed me and encouraged me to publish a work which, from the moment he deserted me, could only entail upon me certain ruin. No. III. proves my credulity, my enthusiasm, my folly, and makes me compare myself in my " Importance " and insignificance to that of a flea hopping about on an elephant's back, serene in the belief of the powerful impression it is making not only on that particular elephant, but on the whole herd of monsters ! No. IV. proves that, as early as July, 1872, Mr. Gounod tried to make an impression on the Royal Family, but that, until my articles in the Cosmopolitan had appeared, and the pamphlet had been advertised, no sign of politeness or consideration was shown him. No. V. proves that the Birmingham Festival Committee would not have engaged me at the Festival if they could have helped it. And— No. VI. proves that, as they could not have got out of engaging me to sing the part in THE REDEMPTION Mr. Gounod had destined for me, they found other excuses for refusing the work which is to be performed at the Festival (Birmingham) in August, 1882. And after this, who will come and talk before me of BRITISH LOVE OF FAIR PLAY ? IV PREFACE. I. Letter of M. CH. GOUNOD to Balmoral. [TRANSLATION.] TAVISTOCK HOUSE, 31st October, 1873. DEAR I have composed and written myself the poem of a great Sacred Trilogy, entitled The Redemption, which is divided into three great parts, and which I have compiled from episodes and texts from Holy Writ :— 1. Calvary. 2. The Resurrection and the Ascension. J. Pentecost. The music of this composition is the most important work of my life. I offer to dedicate it to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. I ask Her Majesty's gracious patronage, and confidently await her Majesty's commands for the first execution of The Redemption in the Royal Albert Hall. I will now give my reasons for wishing this. I had hoped to found in this Hall, which is the most beautiful and magnificent one in Europe, and which is dedicated to the memory of a venerated and revered Prince, a great Institution devoted to Sacred Music.