--- title: "The Little Violinist by Thomas Bailey Aldrich — Classic Ebook | Publi…" description: "Read a free sample of The Little Violinist by Thomas Bailey Aldrich at Publica Now — a public-domain classic ebook, readable online." canonical: "https://publica.now/creators/vito/works/the-little-violinist" --- Literary # The Little Violinist by Thomas Bailey Aldrich [ V Vito ](https://publica.now/creators/vito) Follow $1.99 [ Sign in to buy ](https://publica.now/access?redirect=%2Fcheckout%2Fthe-little-violinist) Secure payment on Stripe. publica.now never sees your card. Share Link copied Format epub Published May 03, 2026 Rating No reviews yet ![The Little Violinist](https://fls-a13cb2d7-1b3e-4883-a0bd-297afd110a11.367be3a2035528943240074d0096e0cd.r2.cloudflarestorage.com/works/01kqnp3gvstts30wwgees1pys3/cover.png?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=d29ce3bb571c165c97a702f29f7aee93%2F20260926%2Fauto%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260926T185940Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Signature=b83f53d396a9f65c66f1edbcce24c21db06124a37a3d5f5a475ecf9c582f1fe9) ## About this work The Little Violinist by Thomas Bailey Aldrich — a public-domain edition published by publica.now. Sample ## Take a look inside THE LITTLE VIOLINIST. By Thomas Bailey Aldrich Boston And New York Houghton Mifflin Company Copyright, 1873, 1885, and 1901 Weep with me, all you that read This little story; And know, for whom a tear you shed, Death's self is sorry. Ben Jonson. This story is no invention of mine. I could not invent anything half so lovely and pathetic as seems to me the incident which has come ready-made to my hand. Some of you, doubtless, have heard of James Speaight, the infant violinist, or Young Americus, as he was called. He was born in London, I believe, and was only four years old when his father brought him to this country, less than three years ago. Since that time he has appeared in concerts and various entertainments in many of our principal cities, attracting unusual attention by his musical skill. I confess, however, that I had not heard of him until last month, though it seems he had previously given two or three public performances in the city where I live. I had not heard of him, I say, until last month; but since then I do not think a day has passed when this child's face has not risen up in my memory—the little half-sad face, as I saw it once, with its large, serious eyes and infantile mouth. I have, I trust, great tenderness for all children; but I know that I have a special place in my heart for those poor little creatures who figure in circuses and shows, or elsewhere, as "infant prodigies." Heaven help such little folk! It was an unkind fate that did not make them commonplace, stupid, happy girls and boys like our own Fannys and Charleys and Harrys. Poor little waifs, that never know any babyhood or childhood—sad human midges,… [ Sign in to buy ](https://publica.now/access?redirect=%2Fcheckout%2Fthe-little-violinist) The sample continues in the full work. [ #classic ](/search?query=classic) [ #public-domain ](/search?query=public-domain) [ #library ](/search?query=library) ## Reviews No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts. [Sign in to leave a review](https://publica.now/access?redirect=%2Fcreators%2Fvito%2Fworks%2Fthe-little-violinist) No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts. 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