n the Continent, until he turned his
attention to writing rather than to acting. _Brutus_, a tragedy, is the
only one of the sixty works which he wrote, translated or adapted, that
ever is played nowadays. In _Clari, the Maid of Milan_, one of his
operas, however, appeared a little song that has made the name of John
Howard Payne eternally famous throughout the world.

_Home, Sweet Home_ had originally four stanzas, but by common consent
the third and fourth have been dropped because of their inferiority. The
two remaining ones are sung everywhere with heartfelt appreciation, and
the air, whatever its origin, has now association only with the words of
the old home song. Miss Ellen Tree, who sang it in the opera, charmed
her audience instantly, and in the end won her husband through its
melody.

In 1823, 100,000 copies were sold, and the publishers made 2,000 guineas
from it in two years. In fact, it enriched everybody who had anything to
do with it, except Payne, who sold it originally for L30.

Perhaps the most noteworthy incident connected with the public rendition
of _Home, Sweet Home_ occurred in Washington at one of the theaters
where Jenny Lind was singing before an audience composed of the first
people of our land. In one of the boxes sat the author, then on a visit
to this country, and a favorite everywhere. The prima donna sang her
greatest classical music and moved her audience to the wildest applause.
Then in response to the renewed calls she stepped to the front of the
stage, turned her face to the box where the poet sat, and in a voice of
marvelous pathos and power sang:

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!
A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere.
Home, Home! Sweet, sweet Home!
There's no place like Home!
There's no place like Home!

[Illustration: THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME]

"An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain!
O, give me my lowly thatched cottage again!
The birds singing gaily that came at my call;--
Give me them! and the peace of mind dearer than all!
Home, Home! Sweet, sweet Home!
There's no place like Home!
There's no place like Home!"[226-1]

The audience were moved to tears. Even Daniel Webster, stern man of law,
lost control of himself and wept like a child.

Payne