erformer, he began to take lessons on
the organ under the direction of Miss R.M. Washington, an accomplished
teacher of that instrument, of the piano-forte, and of harmony. The
organ for some time quite absorbed his attention. This grand and most
comprehensive of instruments, with its great scope and capacity for
the production of harmonic beauties, so delighted, indeed so charmed,
our young enthusiast,--for such he had now become,--as to leave him
with scarcely any inclination or time for other studies. He resolved
then to learn all that it was possible to know about the organ, not
only in awaking to life its tones of grandest harmony, but also, and
in order to better accomplish the same, to study its wonderful
mechanism.

With this latter purpose in view, he visited the extensive and
celebrated organ manufactory of the Messrs. E. and G.G. Hook &
Hastings, located at what was then called Roxbury, Mass., now a part
of the city of Boston. These gentlemen were so pleased with his
ambitious spirit, that they kindly gave him permission to visit at
will their factory, and to examine into every thing connected with
organ-making. After a while, this firm, discovering the ability of
young Lewis as a performer, invited him, in the presence of, and at
times in conjunction with, some of the most skilful organists of
Boston, to test their organs before the same were offered for sale.
Besides, he sometimes offered suggestions in regard to their
construction before the organs were completed, some of which
suggestions were adopted by the firm. It will thus be seen that our
student was quite fortunate in having, in the first place, an
excellent teacher, and afterwards such beneficial opportunities as
those allowed him by the Messrs. Hook. No wonder, then, that with his
natural abilities, his ambitious, art-loving spirit, industrious
habits, and such facilities, he quite early became a proficient
organist.

With his acquisition of skill as a performer on the piano-forte and
organ already attained, as well as with his prospects for attaining to
great distinction as a player of either of them, our artist might well
have been content. But with these he was not satisfied: he longed to
roam over the whole field of instrumental music, to evoke and to enjoy
the harmonic beauties of the many other instruments. He had, in fine,
become an enthusiast in music; and yearned to become a real
connoisseur, theoretically and practically.

Mr. Lewis