The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-24
Another Letter from Edwin Forrest.

My Dear Sir intended, some days since, to
indie this letter, but my time has been much more
agreeably employed looking after the affairs of my
farm which, at this season of the year, presents to
me the most delightful attractions
In my preceding letter, gave you some conclu.
sive English authority. that certain clique existed
IN London to write me down, and that the writer
IN the Examiner was the bell-wether of the flock.
am now happy TO furnish you with the testimony
OF one OF our own countrymen, who, from his IN
tercourse with Albany Fonblauque, Esq, and other
gentlemen intimately connected with HIM, had OPP
portunltles to know the feelings under which Mr.:
Forster wrote, and how his feelings were regarded
by those who best understood the relation in which
Mr.. Forster stood to Mr.. Macready You will per-
ceve that Mr. Forster is not the editor of the Era-
miner but is, as said in former letter, the Z" hire
ling scribbler of its theatrical and literary articles,
New YORK, February 9th, 1919.
To EDWIN FORREST, ESQ.,
Dear Sir:-ln reply TO your inquiries, beg to
state that during the winter of 1859 whilst you
were performlngat Drury Lane Theatre, IN London,
had frequently the pleasure OF meeting, at his own
house and elsewhere, Mr. Albany Fonblauque, the
accomplished editor and proprietor OF the Examiner
newspaper as well as various members OF his IA
mily knowing my intimacy macy win you, ootn ne ana
logging for the abuse the bitter nvectir es
and speful scnrrility against your acting ar per-
son, that weekly appeared under the thea ical head
of the Examiner. From frequent conversation
with these parties, gathered thu following facts
that the theatrical department. of said journal had
been conhded to the excluslre direction of a person
by the name OF Forster, who had in the main ac-
quilted himself, previously, with ability, discretion
and taste, but that, on your appearance at Drury
Lane, bis course and temper had completely
changed, and that, instead OF treating your perform
,ances, with the imparta!ty which had always be-
fars characterized the Examiner, he had, to their
sinoere regret, abandoned himself to wholesale
system Of unsparing detraction and undeseved
censure, exceeding Inc utmost limits of dramatic
criticism. Both MIR. Fonb auque and his family
testified over and over again, their undivided APP
proval of your acting, which they evinced by their
almost constant presence at the theatre during the
whole period of your performances
In seeking solution OF this strange cOntradic-
ton between the opinions and the taste of the dis
tinguished editor of the Examiner and one of his
employees, whom he found it inconvenient to dis
place, discovered that the said Forster was on
terms of the closest intimacy with Mr.. Macready,
the English actor. From this was allowed to in
fer two things First, That it to win the favor
of his friend and patron, Mr. Macready, that Forster
did his best not only to write down his American
rival but to stir up snch opposition would milie
tate against his (your success in England
Secondly, That it was any time in the power of
Macready, by. look or word, to arrest the
foul stream of unmanly abuse that was weekly
poured out upon you; for though it was not stated
that Mr.. Macready would not commit himself, by
issuing instructions, IN so many words, to his
friends, to assall you yet 1t IS clear to me- from all
that was SAID, as it will be to any one from the
circumstances cited, that, if it had pleased Mr..
Macready to relieve you from the pertinacous and
brutal attacks of the most servile of his friends,
influence to do So merely desire to add, that |
do not take it upon myself to repeat the words of
Mr.. Fonbauque and his family at this distant
time; but the impression left on my. mind by re-
peated conversations with them this subject, are
still fresh and indeble, and for the authenticity of
which, as related, pledge my word and honor.
Very truly yours, ***** ******
do not deem it necessary to give the name of
the writer of this letter, but he is ready at any
moment, should the occasion require it, to make
solemn
he has written.
Let me now call your attention to another para.
graph of my Philadelphia card, in which ! stated
that &c Mr.. Macready has no feeling of kindness
for any actor who is likely, by his talents, to stand
in his way" In support of this declaration, give
you the following facts, as related to me by Mr..
Gustavus V. Brooke, the young and talented Irish
tragedan, who,. about year since, made SO favo
rable an impression on a London audience.t When
Mr.. Macready assumed the management of COvent
Garden theatre, he engaged several OF the most
prominent young actors IN England, with the Os-
tensible purpose OF patronising native talent.
Among these was Mr.. Brooke, who, by way of
bait, was promised Otheo for his debut; and, with
al! the hopeful aspirations Of young and ardent
mind, he was on the point OF abandoning the pro-
vinces, where he was a leading actor and de-
served favOrite, TO win IN London, as he thought,
fame and fortune. AT this moment, Mr. Brooke
received word from friendly actor attached to
the Covent Garden company, that although the
willy manager would give him "Othello'' for his
opening character, yet at the same time his name
be acted the night following that of his appearance)
for "Selenno,' or " Salario,' part which might
with safety be entrusted to the meanest capacity
in the theatre.
Mr.. Brooke saw at once the deep laid plans to
ruin him; for the ''eminent'' can ''brook no rival
near the ihrone,' and he determined to defeat the
Vaccinations of his arch enemy, and so broke his
engagement. Had Mr.. Brooke gone to London at
this time, he would have shared the fate of others
who were ''lured to the tolls, and who were either
''put upon the SHELF or placed in such position
that they could not display their talents, excepting
through the medium of servile imitation Of the
managers peculiar style. 1t is no less strange than
true, so general and baneful an influence has Mr..
Macreacy's acting exercised upon the members of
his profession in England that, with but few excep
tions all the actors in that country are merely the
transcripts of his artificial manner. will not inn
pue TO them the bad taste, that they adopt 1t from
choice, as am well aware that all who act with
him must OF necessity move and speak according to
his teachings, and by such means the pernlcious
habit is confirmed among them. Besides, it is much
easier to initiate absurd mannersms and peculiari-
ties than to spy out the great truths in nature, or
''snatch grace beyond the reach of art"
The non-tulhlment of his engagement at Covent
Garden theatre, rendered Mr. Brooke liable to an
action at law; and the manager, although he did not
prosecute the young tragedan for his breach of
faith, was most active In his persecution of him.
He was constantly threatened with suit, and hunt
ed through the three kingdoms by an Obedent, we'll
trained hound, calling HIMSELF. F. Serle, whose sy-
'cophoncy to the will and pleasure of the eminent
is so wen KNOWN III England, tnat IL mas won Tor
him the envlable soubrquet of "Macready's door
mat" An amusing incident occurred in one of
these hunting excursions Serle was despatched
by his master to seek Mr.. Brooke, whom he found
fulfilling an enga cement at Aberdeen. Serle de-
,manded that the young tragedian should at once ac
company him to London, or abide the consequence
of an immediate arrest. Brooke, having dread of
the law expressed his willingness go to London by
the steamer, which to leave Aberdeen that very
day In the meantime, however, he took pains to
ply SeIe with bountfu rotations of choicest noun
tain dew, to which he was nothing 10th, and by the
time the steamer ready to depart, Serle was in
Brooke found no difficulty in quietly walking ashore
while the boat bore the inebriae back to his mas
ter in London alone.
Mr.. Macready maintains position on the Lon
don stage, not by his merits an actor only, but
chiefly BY the miserable aid of cliques, ever ready
81. yhp