The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-09

Mr.. Forests present engagement at tho broadway
theatre bss been the lorgv most successful and most
profitable that 10 haa played. Last night was
believe hi. fitch app, &C. and s elimination n
ohseYyabs in his suderees During his samsnt, he
has played In twenty different characters repeating
Of them half dozen times and he has NOTED be-
tween twenty and thirty thousand doiars-h-lf Of the
gross receipts going into his purse Mr. Forrest
encod his present engagement the 9th February OF
the fifty nights he has played six heavy storms Of
rain and than bali unfavorabe weather. yet his
performances have witnessed by upwards eighty
thousand persons and ty calculation made no must
have spoken thirty thousand lines He appeared three
times in Ohsllo. two in Lear, two in Hamlet, five in
Richard the Third four in the Gladiator, six in Jack
Cade three in Richeieu, in Brutus, in Claude
helnotts four in Damon three in Netamor three in
Pxsrro' four in Tho Broker Of Bogota one In Viz
ghius, two In Macbeth three in William Tell and ono
in Bortram
Fer than reason this unprecedented success
Is somewhat remarkable. 1t was anticipated that tho
original character played by him In the ,te divorce
drama would have completely damned his popularity on
the stage ever after and signal defeat prognost
Gated for his subsequent engagement But the first
night OF his cees On the boards Of the Broadway as
fed there predictions lie greeted with the warmcst
marks Of admiration by assembly as large as the
house could contain though be sure was among
them numerous phalaax of rowdies, led by an in
dcmtable captain to give him the benefit OF their cheers
1t was however complete triumph Mr. Forrest; and
his continued SINCE then may be in great mca
sure attributed to that event.
Though it be disputed that Forrest possesses
large share Of dramatic talent and sapabity yet he
cannot, by any means be regarded a finished actor
His style occasionally is too violent full froth aud
furyand wanting in the finer touches Of his art He is
at home in his dencation Of the violent passions but is
not true to nature in portraying the refined pure
and lofty feelings Consequently he succeeds better in
characters requiring great force and energy such as
those OF sparacus Brutus IN the FAN of Taruinn vr-
pinus Mctamora Rolla and others Of like c,etc than
in such ne Hamlet Rchelieu, Otheio. Mr. For
rest unquestonay the fire: and greatest American
acto~and such, has been nursed carcssed and fat
tered by the American people But dramatic taste in this
country is not so delicate chastc dscrminve it is
In Europe and the style Of representation very
different from that seen tho French English,
stage 1t is deficient in the pure classical
hes Of the drama. There il in leurable distance
between Mr. FORESTS style Of acting and that Tamn
or the elder Keen We do not compare him with Macrdy
or Charles kcan because FORESTS terrible energy and
impulsve genius far superior these eee artists Of
an cets This modern English style ephemera and
does not deserve be classified with that which existed
in the palmy days Of Edmund Kean Cooke add Kemble
eAcc lheT tlhe no actor mas appeared on the English
stage who eoSd bear comparison with them deserves
to be named in the same category
In this country however Mr.. Forrest ia regarded Is
the prince Of tragcdianr-and he is 30, in his way His
peculiar style to be in with public taste
though to those who have been accustomed to witness
representations the European stage he does not ap-
PEAR qualified 10 hold the rank Of first actor His
present engagement at the Broadway has vastly increased
his popularity and there is doubt that tho
tour which he proposes 10 make the country will be
sucossu over eli former ones in proportion has been
his engagement in this city