n purpose." Ole Bull valued this instrument as beyond
all price, and justly, for there have been few more famous violins than
the Treasury violin of Innspruck, under which name it was known to all
the amateurs and collectors of the world.

During his various art wanderings through Europe, Ole Bull made many
friends among the distinguished men of the world. A dominant pride
of person and race, however, always preserved him from the slightest
approach to servility. In 1838 he was presented to Carl Johann, king
of Sweden, at Stockholm. The king had at that time a great feeling of
bitterness against Norway, on account of the obstinate refusal of the
people of that country to be united with Sweden under his rule. At the
interview with Ole Bull the irate king let fall some sharp expressions
relative to his chagrin in the matter.

"Sire," said the artist, drawing himself up to the fullness of his
magnificent height, and looking sternly at the monarch, "you forget that
I have the honor to be a Norwegian."

The king was startled by this curt rebuke, and was about to make an
angry reply, but smoothed his face and answered, with a laugh:

"Well! well! I know you d--d sturdy fellows." Carl Johann afterward
bestowed on Ole Bull the order of Gustavus Vasa.

V.

Ole Bull's first visit to America was in 1843, and the impression
produced by his playing was, for manifest causes, even greater than that
created in Europe. He was the first really great violinist who had ever
come to this country for concert purposes, and there was none other
to measure him by. There were no great traditions of players who had
preceded him; there were no rivals like Spohr, Paganini, and De Beriot
to provoke comparisons. In later years artists discovered that this
country was a veritable El Dorado, and regarded an American tour as
indispensable to the fulfillment of a well-rounded career. But, when Ole
Bull began to play in America, his performances were revelations, to the
masses of those that heard him, of the possibilities of the violin. The
greatest enthusiasm was manifested everywhere, and, during the three
years of this early visit, he gave repeated performances in every city
of any note in America. The writer of this little work met Ole Bull a
few years ago in Chicago, and heard the artist laughingly say that,
when he first entered what was destined to be such a great city, it was
little more than a vast mudhole, a good-sized village scattered