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Gazette Of The United States
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
A 10-year-old son of an African prince at Brighthelmtone demonstrates extraordinary violin talent and is presented to the Prince of Wales, who plans to recommend him for professional concerts. The boy's family history involves enslavement, shipwreck, and education under Haydn.
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LONDON, JULY 30.
AFRICAN GENIUS.
The African Prince now at Brighthelmtone, has a son ten years old, possessed of amazing musical talents.
This extraordinary genius has been presented to the Prince of Wales, who intends to recommend him to the professional concert, as an acceptable novelty to the admirers and lovers of music.
He plays with exquisite mastership on the violin.
The grandfather of this extraordinary youth was committed to the care of a Dutch Captain, with diamonds to a great amount, and gold dust, to be carried to Europe and educated.
After experiencing much barbarous treatment from the avaricious Hollander, the unfortunate Prince was sold, as a slave, to a Jamaica planter.
The unhappy man met, however, with a kind master to alleviate his misfortunes, and married an African woman, by whom he had the father of this admirable boy:
At the grandfather's demise, the father was still higher in his master's favor, at whose expense he was instructed in several languages.
At the age of fifteen, he was permitted to take a voyage to Africa, with proper testimonials of his birth; but by a singular fatality was ship-wrecked, and lost his documents.
Being conversant in several languages, he gained a subsistence by acting as interpreter to various foreign Potentates in Europe.
In this situation he lived till the year 1778. When he was on the confines of Poland he won the heart of a Polish Count's daughter, who was charmed with the "hair-breadth escapes," and adventures of this second Othello.
The Count gave him his daughter, who is the mother of our musical hero.
The father discovering in the child a very early attachment to music, placed him under the celebrated Haydn in Germany, from whom he received his musical education. From such culture, we may reasonably presage perfection.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Brighthelmtone
Event Date
July 30
Key Persons
Outcome
the boy is recommended for professional concerts; family history includes enslavement, shipwreck, and musical education leading to presaged perfection.
Event Details
The African Prince at Brighthelmtone has a 10-year-old son with amazing musical talents on the violin, presented to the Prince of Wales for recommendation to concerts. The boy's grandfather was enslaved after betrayal by a Dutch captain, sold to Jamaica, and had a kind master. The father, educated in languages, shipwrecked en route to Africa, worked as interpreter, married a Polish Count's daughter in 1778, and trained the boy under Haydn in Germany.