The Portland daily press., 1882-02-28
Celebration Of the Poets Seventy Fifth
Birthday.
hoell
A Brilliant Gathering and Interesting
Papers.

The Maine Historical Society celebrated the
10th birthday OF the poet Longfellow last even
ing. 1t had been the intention to occupy their
rooms in the City Building, but long before the
appointed hour the throng of people interested
IN the event gave tokens that more conmodi-
GUS quarters must be obtained. For some rea-
sons this was to be regretted, chief OF which
was the one that around the room were hung
the portraits of distinguished ancestors of the
Longfellow and Wadsworth families, while on
the tables were interesting relics, manuscript
poems OF the poet, aforementioned on our local
page-that gave SO much character to the oc-
cason.
Alto p m. the committee decided that it
would be necessary to remove INTO Reception
Hall, and in a few moments that large apart
ment was packed to oYerhowing with one OF
the most refined and cultivated audiences ever
gathered in Portland. Every inch Of space
was taken and, if City Hall had been decided
upon, it would probably have been filed. As
it was many were turned away from the doors
On the table at the right of the president
stood superb bouquet-the gift of Mrs. John
b. Brown-whose fragrance filled the hall. On
the presidents table was placed Paul Akers
bust of Longfellow, and directly in front of it
an oak chaplet. On the wall, in the rear of the
president was suspended the sword presented
to Commodore Wadsworth by the ladies Of
Portland. On frame at the left, were draw
ings Of the old Wadsworth and Longfellow
houses.
Among those present belonging to the society
AL do and Rlaka
Bangor; j. Williamson, Belfast; Judge w. G.
Barrows, and Prof. A. S. Packard, Brunswick;
William Goold, Windham; John f. Anderson,
j. 2. Baxter, H. W. Bryant, FL. S. Burrage,
Henry Deering, Hon. j 81. Drummond, e. H.
Elwell, Bishop Neely, Hon. Sidney Perham,
Lewis Pierce, Hon. Geo. f. Talbot, of Port
land e. p. Burnham of Saco, and probably
others were in the hall whose faces escaped u.s.
There were seats reserved for Mayor Senter
and members OF the City Government, and for
Mrs. Mary T.. Greenleaf of Cambridge, Mass.
Mr., William P. Longfellow, Of Boston, the
poets nephew. Alexander Longfellow and fam
ily-Mr Longfelow is a member of the soce-
ty-and Mrs. Annie L. Pierce, all of Mr.. Hen
ry w. Longfellows family, who came to Port
land to participate in the celebration.
The evening exercises commenced by Vice
President Barrows calling the meeting to ord
er, and addressing the audience as follows;
Address by Judge Barrowa.
Brethren Of the Historical Society, Ladies and
Gentlemen.
bespeak your kind indulgence for my mex
perience, and your prompt and Jealous coop
eration in undertaking the performance of my
duties on this occasion. To the members OF
the Society it is well known that the punctual
attendance Of our president has made the vice
presidency practically a sinecure, and this, with
my own enforced absence at most of the ex-
traordihary meetings of the society, must be
my apology for my deficiencies noe, which
look TO your kindness to supply.
I feel that it would not be quite proper for
me to direct the crier TO proclaim that all who
have anything to do here tonight may draw
near and give their attendance and they shall
be heard, and then quietly await the result:
but have an impression that, in presiding at
such gathering, the best form is the nearest
possible approach TO a want Of form, or at least
of iormality, and have no fear that in this
assembly the divine law of order would be
greatly infringed even If the chair were alto
gether vacant.
duty to state the object of our meeting.
The first notice of it which | saw in the
newspapers spoke of it if remember rightly
as meeting to do honor to the poet Longfel-
low on the occasion OF his l5th DlrJnday.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that
it is meeting to testify our sense of the honor
he has done to this, his birthplace. 1t is very
little we can do to honor him whose own works
have long ago crowned him king in the
hearts of men to bear sway wherever and so
long as the English language is spoken or un-
derstood.
We meet to claim for this good city the
honor which from time immemorial has al
ways been conceded to the birthplaces Of poets
and seers- to do our part to link the name Of
s'the dear old town" with his as he has linked
it in the loving description which he has given
in the idyll of my Lost YOUTH
For a more potent reason than the ohiselled
inscription on the ancient mill which links the
name Of Oliver Basselin with the Valley of
the Vide, in all coming time. "shall the poets
because because we know that the lyrics Of our poet are
indeed,
'Songs Of that high art