Rome, by long ages. Indeed,
it was the music of the Hebrews, and then of the Christian
Church, that gave birth to scientific music, and alone
developed it, until that of the opera gave rise to a
distinct branch of the culture. This re-acted powerfully on
sacred music itself. 'Blind Tom' at present likes operatic
music best."

"The Albany (N.Y.) Argus" of January, 1866, said,--

"Now test the power of analysis. Three pianos are opened: at
two of them persons present hammer away, with the design of
producing the most perfect discord imaginable; at the third
piano, the professor makes a run of twenty notes. The
confusion ceases, and Tom repeats in a moment each of the
twenty notes sounded. Still another test. Tom takes the
stool himself. With his right hand he plays 'Yankee Doodle'
in B flat. With his left hand he performs 'Fisher's
Hornpipe' in C. At the same time he sings 'Tramp, tramp,' in
another key,--maintaining three distinct processes in that
discord, and apparently without any effort whatever. 'Most
marvellous!' you say; 'but can he express as well as he
perceives?' The gentlemanly director will let you see. He
asks Tom to render 'Home, Sweet Home,' by Thalberg. You
know, that, of all productions in the current _repertoire_,
there are none which have finer or more difficult shades
than this. 'Blind Tom' proceeds; and, were you to close your
eyes, you could not tell but Thalberg himself was at the
instrument, so perfect and so exquisite is the conception
and the touch. Then you have renderings in imitation from
Chopin, from Gottschalk, from Vieuxtemps, from anybody you
will mention who has been deemed a master of the art; and
you turn away convinced, surfeited with marvels, satisfied
that you have witnessed one of the most incomprehensible
facts of the time."

From "The Manchester (Eng.) Courier," Sept. 26:--

"'Prodigies' of all kinds are presented ever and anon to the
public nowadays; but we have had nothing yet produced so
truly marvellous as the negro phenomenon known as 'Blind
Tom,' who appeared for the first time in Manchester, at the
Theatre Royal, last night. In order to test 'Blind Tom's'
powers of memory, Mr. Joule gave a short impromptu, avoiding
any marked rhythm or subject, but which was imitated very
c