rably. But when he shall read these pages, on which nought
shall be set down save with a regard for truth, and shall perceive by
them, that while he steadily, quietly, and effectively worked for many
years, with no attempts at ostentatious display, scarcely looking up
the while to observe the outer results of his work, and to catch for
inspiration the praises of men; when he shall see in his now mature
years that all he so noiselessly invented, and fashioned into
practical, useful form, is regarded by a well-meaning chronicler as of
vast importance in serving as a noble example for the study and
imitation of the youth of the land, and therefore to be faithfully
recorded,--then it is hoped he will pardon the somewhat free but
well-intentioned use that is here made of his name and deeds.

Mr. Holland was born in 1819 amidst the then "solitudes" of Norfolk
County, Va. His father, Exum Holland, was a farmer. When quite a young
child, Justin evinced a very decided fondness for music. But, nearly
sixty years ago, a farm-life in Virginia, ten miles from any town, as
may be imagined, afforded but poor opportunities for either hearing or
learning music. Such opportunities, however, as were within reach, our
subject very eagerly embraced. It is related of him, that, when less
than fourteen years of age, he was in the habit of walking on Sundays
to a log meeting-house five miles away, and there listening to and
joining in such music (?) as was at that time discoursed in such
places. But previously to this, when only a boy of eight years, he
accidentally came into possession of an old song-book with words only.
Being much delighted with this, he often perched himself upon a
rail-fence, quite removed from the farm-house and all chance of
interruption, where he sang and heartily enjoyed the songs, the music
for which this would-be musician extemporized. Years afterward it was
found that some of the tunes he thus early invented, and which he
retained in his memory, were equal if not superior in merit to those
that really belonged to the songs in the book mentioned. Thus was
Holland almost born with the composer's art.

When about fourteen years old, Justin left Virginia, and went to
Boston; from whence he shortly afterwards removed, going to Chelsea,
Mass. Here he spent his youth and several years of his manhood. A
short while after becoming a resident of Chelsea, he determined to
study in earnest the science of music. At this time h