Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-11-11
ADDRESS OF WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

dian club have requested me to present to
you in their name this crown of laurel.
woven for the occasion. Although little
familiar, of late years, with matters per-
tanning to the stage, make it pleasure
to comply with the request. BE pleased
to receive this wreath as a token both OF
their profound admiration for your genius
and their high esteem for your personal
character. You remember what the poet
Spenser says of the laurel
81 .sThe laurel, need ofmighty conquerors.s
Well is this line applied in the present
instance The laurel is due to the brows
of one who has won so eminent and en-
viable renown by successive conquests
In the realm of histrionic art. You have
taken queenly rank in your profession:
Into one department of it after another
you have carried your triumphs. Through
the eye and the ear you have interpreted
to the sympathies OF the vast assemblages
/ Of men and women the words of the great
Z est dramatic writers. What came to your
hands in the skeleton form you clothed
with sinews and flesh, and gave it a beat
3 ing heart and warm blood coursing
through the veins. To what were mere
intellectual shadows you have given
bodily "form and PRESSURE and voice
that awakens the deepest emotions. But
/ dwell no longer on this topic, which has
been illustrated for this occasion in verse
by distinguished poet and man OF
genius. Receive, then, this laurel crown,
rs token of what is universally conceded
.toyou, a symbol Of that regaliIy in your
profession to which you have SO nobly
risen. and which you SO llustriously hold.
- At the conclusion of Mr.. Brvant's ad-
dress, q committee of the Arcadian club
stepped forward, and In the name of the
giclnb placed the laurel wreath on Miss
Cushman's head. The whole audience
rose and gave cheer upon cheer, the ladies
waved their handkerchiefs. and the recip-
lent of these honors was most visibly al
fected. The scene. was one long to be re-
smembered, and will probably never be
forgotten by those who were present. 1t
was quite long ere the friendly and cheer
,ful uproar subsidized and when it did, Miss
Cushman made her farewell address.
-s1 MISS CUsIIMANs SPEECH
sc Beggar that am am even poor in
thanks; but thank you, gentlemen. The
heart has no speech. It's only language is
a tear or pressure of the hand, and
words very feebly convey or interpret its
emotions Yeti would beg you to believe
that in the three little words | now speak,
Isl thank you. There are heart depths
which l shall fail to express better. though
I shall use thousand words. | thank
you, gentlemen, for the honor you have
offered to me. thank you. not only for
myself, but for my whole profession, to
which, through and by me, You have paid
this very graceful compliment. II the
H. 7 al~< ..,f
egotism or vainglory, you will. am sure,
pardon me, inasmuch as am here only to
speak OF myself. You would seem to
compliment me upon an honorable lite.
As I look back upon that life it sees to
me that it would have been absolutely i'm
possible for me to have led any other. In
this / have, perhaps, been mercitully
helped more than are many OF my more
beautiful sisters in art. was, by press
Of circumstances, thrown at an early age
into profession for which had received
no special education or schooling, but
had already, though so young, been
brought face to face with necessity. |
found life sadly real and intensely earnest,
and. in my Ignorance of other ways of
study, l resolved to take thereirom my
text and my watchword. To be thorough
ly in earnesi-intensely in earnest--in all
my thoughts and in all my actions, wheth-
er in my profession or out of it-became
my one single idea, and honestly believe
herein lies the secret of my success in life.
/ do not believe that any great success in
any art can be achieved without it. | say
this to the beginners in my profession, and
| am sure all the associates in my art
who have honored me with their pres
ence on this occasion will inJorse " hat
say in this. Art is an absolute mistress
she will not be coquetted with or sighted
She requires the most entire self-devotion,
and she repays with grand triumphs. To
you, gentlemen of the Arcadian club, and
to him who has enthroned me in his verse,
and to the older poet who brings the pres
tige of his name and fame 10 add glory
10 the crown he offers me; to the mana
gers of this theatre who have so literally
met all my wishes and requirements dur
ing this engagement, as well as to the
members OF the company who have so
cheerfully seconded my efforts; aud last,
not least, to the members Of my profession
who have so graciously added by their
presence TO the happiness OF this oc-
casion, / return my cordial thanks.
To my public, what shall | say? From
the bottom OF my heart | thank you
who have given me always consideration,
encouragement and patience; who have
ever been my support, my comfort. my
main help. do not say farewell TO you
in the usual sense Of the word Making
my final representation upon the mimic
scene In the various cities of the country,
have reserved to myself the ugGt OF
meeting you again where you have made
me believe that gave you the pleasure
which l received myself at the same time
at the reading desk. TO Won. then. |
say. may you fare well and NAV | fare
well. until at no distant day we meet
again there. Meanwhile, good, kind
friends, good night, and God be with you
THE PROFESSION AND sERENApE.
After the above ceremonies Miss Cush-
man was escorted by the Arcadians to her
carriage under floral canopy reaching
from the entrance on Twenty-lhird street.
As she emerged from the theatre to her
carriage a grand display OF pyrotechnics
lit up the streets, aud the members Of the
club, With those 'y.s SIMILAR organizations.
fell in marching order, and with lighted
fambeaux flankmg her carriage, and with