I believe the term "Lyceum" referred to the specific site and to the
circuit lectures and presentations sponsored by agents like James Redpath,
an early agent for Twain.  Like the term Chautauqua, it refers to a type of
presentation, (Chautauquas were originally open-air) and a specific cite-
Lake Chautauqua, in southwestern New York, near the Pennsylvania border.
Martin Zehr

On Thu, Mar 5, 2015 at 12:43 PM, Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> I received a series of JPGs from the librarian at the Melrose Public
> Library, scans of a review of the show November 10, 1884.  This review,
> from the Melrose Journal of November 15, 1884, is for the most part the
> same review as published earlier in the Boston Journal, with some
> variations and additional information.  I also acquired a copy of the
> advertising for the event.  What I find interesting is that they all
> refer to the Melrose Lyceum.  According to the librarian the Lyceum
> building burnt down in 1870 and the town of Melrose erected a new town
> hall in 1874.
>
> I've included this material in my Gazetteer as an entry at
> http://bscottholmes.com/content/town-hall-melrose-massachusetts-0
>
> What I'm wondering about here is the use of the name Lyceum.  There is
> no address of the venue given on the ad nor in either of the reviews.
> I'm speculating that the term Lyceum was used to refer to the series of
> events and such.  These events must have regularly occurred at the Town
> Hall and the town of Melrose was still small enough for its citizens to
> just "understand" that the Town Hall and the Lyceum were equivalents.
>
> We certainly could not "get away" with that today, at least not in the
> grotesque monster of a city where I reside.
>
> --
>  There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of
>                           in your philosophy.
>                         http://bscottholmes.com
>