ended for the highest prizes in
art. The prominent position he holds to-day as an artist is proof that
his course has been the right one, and the one which should serve as
an example to all those young persons, who, endowed with musical
talents, are yet neglecting to cultivate the same; who are, in fact,
allowing them to gradually waste away by giving themselves to
unmusical, injurious associations; and who quite too often spend the
precious time that should be given under competent teachers to
diligent, untiring study, in appearances before audiences whose
applause, of doubtful value, is readily bestowed in unstinted
quantities, and which serves, alas! but to dazzle, to deceive, and too
often to permanently ruin, the young performer.

Mr. Jamieson's fine, ever-increasing musical abilities, his general
intelligence and gentlemanly bearing, soon gained for him the _entree_
of the best musical circles of Boston and vicinity, and secured for
him association at concerts with the most advanced artists. During the
winters of 1875 and 1876 he several times appeared before large and
enthusiastic audiences at a series of entertainments given at Parker
Memorial Hall. A writer thus mentions his performances at one of these
concerts:--

"Mr. Jamieson, the pianist, was before the public last
season, and then gained strong praise. He is a promising
young artist, and his performances on this occasion showed
marked improvement. His selections embraced a fantasie on
the 'Wedding March' of Liszt, a fantasie on themes from
'Rigoletto,' and variations on 'Home, Sweet Home;' and in
all three he won deserved applause."

He has devoted himself solely to the piano-forte, and makes no
pretensions to a knowledge of other instruments, considering the
former as quite worthy of his undivided study,--especially in these
days, when, in his own city and state at least, fine piano soloists
are so numerous, and whose best performances he desires to equal, and,
if possible, to excel.

From the first, Mr. Jamieson has given himself to the performance of
only the higher class of music. So determined is he in this respect,
that he will not play _dance-music_, not even that of the best order.
The writer once asked him to play one of Strauss' most bewitching
waltzes,--one full of those delicious, so to say, entrancing melodies,
for which the productions of this gifted composer are so noticeable,
and one which at the ti