The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-19

The winter session of the Maine Histcrica
Society was held in this city yesterday at tn
| Common Council room. The attendance wa
very good, there being present Oh tne members
the President Hon. j. W. Bradbury; the veneer
able ex- President Woods OF Bowdoln College
s. P. Benson; Rev. 5, H. Dyke
Hon. William Goold; Robert Hal
lowell Gardiner esq. Judge Williamson. Prof
A. 8. Packard of Bowdoin College; Mr. HI. W
BRYANT. of Portland Judge G. f. Shepley; Mr.
c. Varney of "The Young Peoples Histor.
of Maine; Mr.. VIM G. Elder of Lewiston
| ex.Goy. Washburn; Hon. George 7. Davis
| CanonlC. w. Hayes; r. X. Sewall esq.,. Hol
| c. J. Gilman; Marshall Cram ESQ.,. MI. D.
Bailey; G. F. Talbot esq.,; Gen. j. M. Brown
| and Mr.. P. III. Brown. There were many spec
tators present, nearly half of whom were ladies
The society was called to order by the Presi
dent, Hon. j. w. Bradbury, few moments af
ter ten o'clock. He announced routine bust
ness as first in order
The Rev. s. F. Dyke of Bath rose to repor
from the committee in correspondence with j
| w. Thornton ESQ.,, Of Massachusetts in regart
| to the Trelawney papers, and offered a resolu
researches, and proposed that the society take
the papers and publish them Some discussion
followed as to the ACCESSIBILITY of publication
which resulted in "a modification and subse'
quent adoption of the resolution. 1t reads as
follows:
Resolved, That the thanks of the Maine His.
torical Society are hereby given to j. Wingate
Thornton ESQ.,, for his communlcapon con-
corning Robert Trelawney, one OF the early pa
tentees and founders of Maue and concerning
the Trelawney papers SO Interesting IN ta an,
local lily, which have been heretofore sought Tor
in vain.
Resolued, That the society request Mr..
Thornton to use his influence in obtaining
possession of the Trelawney papers for the use
of this society with the intention of publishing
such of them as will subserve the interest OF
history, in separate volume properly edited,
with a PREDATORY memoir of Robert Treawney;
and if the society should become possessed
of the original documents they will be much
grat;fied to accept the same and will preserve
them in the archives of the society, suitably
mounted and bound, to be known as the IRE
lawney papers. -.
Gen. Brown, from the standing committee on
a field day, suggested the matter be held under
advsement, and if it should be deemed advis-
able to hold the field day at Richmond Island
that the society be notified at the proper time.
There being no other business before the
society, it was voted to proceed to the reading
of papers. The first paper was read by Judge
Williamson of Bath and was brief memoir OF
the late Cyrus Eaton of Warren, who was
member of the society. The paper was written
by MI. Cushman of Bath. Thanks were ten
dered to Mr.. Cushman, and the paper was
placed upon the file.
The next paper was by Mr. III. w. Bryant
of Portland on the early history of the thea
ire in Portland. A criticism from the Eastern
Gazette on the first theatrical performance in
Portland was given. 1t reads very much like
a criticism of to-day. The critic was of course
astonished at the power and depth of feeling
displayed by the women-actors, and delighted
at their beauty. His critique was literally
sprinkled with poetical quotations, almost as
extravagant as the prose in which they were
immeshed. The plays appear to have been
chiefly of the school of old English comedy
1t was practice to introduce comic songs"
for the deiectation of the audience, fashion
which has not died out yet. Boston was
looked upon as the home of the drama, and
the actors were chiefly from that city, though
some were announced from foreign parts, most
Iy from Covent Garden, London. Of course
the ld-fashioned prologue and epilogue pre-
vailed. Actors and managers were profuse
with cards of thanks and the people liberal
with benefits" The first benefit cleared $50,
which sum was given to the poor. The opera
seems not to have been neglected, and GER
tain Miss Arnold, over whose charms of person
and voice the newspaper man goes quite wild,
figures prominently. When Homes tragedy
of Douglas was brought out it created marked
sensation. Occasionally variety show was
given, and Signors and Heirs with long names
were advertised to perform wonderful and
stupendous feats." We are assured that all
the comedians provoked roars of laughter, that
all the tragedians drew tears, and that all the
actresses were beautiful and charming. The
ordinary price for a sight at SO much humor,
and grief and beauty, was three shillings, aud
there seems to have been no distinction in
seats. In 1895 Romeo and Juliet was brought
out for the first time in Portland, on the occa-
sion of the benefit of Mr.. POWELL who was
noted Romeo in his day, the critic assures US.
Soon after the Stranger was played and
people wept as they do now over his obtruslve
sorrows. The paper was one OF interest and
historical value. Following are some of the
facts given.
The first theatrical exhibition ever given in
this city, and probably in the state, was per-
formed October 7th 1894. 1t consisted OF the
Lyar, comedy, and the farce Modern Antiques
or the Merry Mourners.
The company were attached to the Boston
Theatre and consisted of Mr.. and Mrs. Powell,
Mr. and Mrs Jones and Mr.. Kenny. Their
last performance was Nov Sd. In 1895 no The
atricals were given. In 1896 Mr.. and Mrs.
Tubbs from London opened theatre at the
Assembly Hall on King street. Mrs. Tubbs
was formerly Mrs. Arnold. Her daughter,
Miss Arnold, very pretty little girl, infiamed
the hearts of the susceptible young men OF the
period The last performance of the season
was given Jan. II, 1877, when an original cpl
logue written by gentleman of Portland, was
spoken by Miss Arnold. In 1898 the theatre
was not open In 1899 Mr. Powell came with
a considerable detachment from his Boston
company and gave variety OF standard per-
formances during the months of August and
September. Among the plays produced were
Romeo and Juliet, The Stranger, A Bold
Stroke for Wife, The Farmer etc.
Gen. j. M. Brown read paper on Francis
Champlain. 1t was a fitting tribute to
the discoveries made and the settlements
planted by the gentlemen and navigators OF
France in the New World. He recalled to the
minds of his hearers the fact that Maine was
a part of New France years before it was part
of New England The paper was in the nature
of a commentary on the account of his voyages
furnished by Champlain, and particular atten-
ton was paid to the discoveries made by the
adventurous Frenchmen on the coast of Maine
The lilies of France and the cross of Rome,
were in this voyage, for the first time seen on
the waters of the Penobscot, and the islands OF
Mt. Desert and Isle au Haut received the
names they now bear. Casco Bay was not
neglected, and very likely the Frenchman
built his fires on the same stones where two
hundred years after the Yankee spread his
clam-bake.
Mr. Gould briefly spoke of discoveries of can
non balls and other articles on the sites OF
Champlain's encampments.
With complimentary remarks Mr.. Gilman
moved a vote of thanks to Gen. Brown. The