creditable both to her superintendence and their
co-operation."

In the month of July, 1876, Miss Brown was engaged to sing at the
"Great Sunday-school Parliament" held on Wellesley, one of the famous
Thousand Islands, in the River St. Lawrence. The now much-lamented
Professor P.P. Bliss (who had become so eminent as a composer of
popular sacred songs), his talented wife, and Miss Brown, were the
leading singers and soloists on the occasion mentioned. The two former
failing to arrive in time, the musical exercises, which were of a very
fine order, were arranged, and for a while conducted, by Miss Brown.
Mr. and Mrs. Bliss, however, arrived some time after the sessions had
begun, and then participated in the singing. At this memorable
gathering of Christian people from all parts of the United States and
Canada, Miss Brown, in the display of fine musical powers, won new
laurels; and her charming singing was made the subject of frequent and
very complimentary allusion by newspaper correspondents writing from
the island. In a handsome volume since published by the director of
the "Parliament," and which is a record of its proceedings, she is
several times creditably mentioned.

The following is one of many like notices which the musical exercises
mentioned elicited:--

... "As to the singing of Professor Bliss and Miss Nellie
Brown, it seems as though we are all in the third heaven at
once, and that it is almost sacrilege to come down to meaner
things."

Said Andrew Fletcher, "I knew a very wise man that believed, that, if
a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who
should make the laws, of the nation." This certainly was placing a
very high, but perhaps not a much too high, estimate on the
song-writing power. As coming next in greatness to the composers of
meritorious popular ballads, we may mention those accomplished
persons, who, possessing sweetly-toned, sympathetic voices, and
evincing by their mode of expression a ready, a full conception of the
author's meaning, have, in an eminent degree, the power to correctly,
charmingly render them. In this form of musical expression Miss Brown
delights her audiences not less than in her rendition of songs of a
more pretentious character. In singing the former she exhibits a most
winning _naivete_, enters wholly into the spirit of the song, and with
a full, pleasing voice, impresses deeply its melody and meaning upon
the hear