Eighteen years ago, when the United States were beginning' to recover from the effects of the fierce struggle which resulted in the final abolition of slavery, and when educational tutions for the benefit of the newly emancipated were in the first years of their usefulness, it occurred to some one that the extraordinary innate musical talent of the coloured people might be utilised for the purpose of obtai funds for the benefit of such institutions. The result was the organisation of the Fish Jubilee Singers. The visit of the troupe to England in 1871 and their immediate success are matters of history, and from that time forward the original troupe and afterwards their successors continued to delight European audiences with the sim-Ble pathos of he negro melodies, Gradually the enterprise, at first entered upon in fear and trembling, assumed greater Fabiles Singers that left Tennessee had: reportions; and the last troupe of Fish
before it a journey of more than six years, This troupe Shanghai had an opportunity of welcoming on Friday evening at the Lyceum Theatre. It is safe to assume that the present company includes none of the original number; but they are so closely connected with the pioneers that they be excused for styling themselves on their programmes The Original Company." They proved to consist of ten individuals five female and four with an accompanist. iatakeably of the negro type, though differing considerably in darkness of colour. The
ree and easy way which, however, seemed nae ped was carried out in " remarkably not at all out of keeping with the character of the entertainment. At intervals Mr.
J, Loudin, basso and leader of the company, would amuse the audience by telling songs, or apology g for not arriving up to them something about the origin of the
time, or observing that the si
ete., etc.—doing it all in the mort irresistibrought a large supply of colds with them, bly artless way, as if he were taking the audience into his confidence. At ithe same time he managed to bring forward some points well worthy of attention. He asked the audience to remember that the songs forming the main part of the repertoire were composed by slaves in America prior to emancipation, and wore
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.