The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-05-12
From the New York Evening Mirror.
THE BROADWAY THEATRE-FoRREsT AS CoRIo
LANUS.

Dir. FORESTS Broadway engagement OF seven weeks
closed Saturday evening full house, including
military corps named the Forrest Light Guard in honor
Of their theatrical idol The play "Corolanuss
the ninth time repeated believe and the performance
unexcepiionable from beginning end Ii some
thing more--it truly Shakspearean presentation,
worthy of the highest praise its fidelity 10 nature to
art and history We hardly conceive Of anything
better in the way Of acting than Mr. FORESTS brave
salwart and se-sacricing Roman. We do not believe
there any actor living who fifty and forcibly
act the heroic part Of Caius Mareis Corolanus the
muehabused yet always professionally triumphant Edwin
Forrest In saying this but render justice to
from whom have received only iurerted fvors
and whom it would accord better with the retalatory
pulses Of human nature for than to praise
But men, and women when the dramatic stage are
but pictures and should thus be treated Let the
list be eliminated from the man and bis delineaons be
regarded purely Representatives much the coll
ors upon the of the painter the lines upoa the
statue Of the sculptor.
Mr. FORESTS acting of Coriolanus correct vigorous
and natural his attitudes easy satuesque and imposing
his readings distinct intelligent and tasefully nonated
And bis eloquent farewell speech is both in and
matter worthy climax lis arduons labors for forty
two successive evenings AT the call Of the house Mr.
Forrest before the curtain and said
III need not tell you ladies and gentlemen that | am
grateful this large assemblage who have here 10
honor with their presence tonight and also to
here who have done me the honor 10 grace my humble
by rssociatng with their sodierke corps This
night ladies and gentlemen ends my labors inside Of the
theatre for the season call them labors for none but
he who has experienced the toll of acting such parts
have been called upon nightly represent you
have any idea Of the degree of labor both mental and
yscai .requed in the performance of the task They
who suppose the actors life TO be Of comparative
mistake the fact most egregonsy. Ny experience has
shown that it is Of nnrenitting toll In other
profession in the world is high emnence Difficult, 10
reach in this and this proposition becomes seviden
when you remember how many Of talents and accom-
pshments to mount the bsrcnic ladder and how
few how very few approach topnios round My ear
iiest ambition distinction upon the stage, and while
yet child shaped my to reach the wished
ton in any vocation only TO be achieved by bard
work by Iaborions TOLL and BY unfang sslreliance
resolved
And with such jewels as the exploring mind
Brings from the Of knowledge buy my
From those twin jailers OF the daring heart
Low birth and iron fortune
resolved therefore 10 educate myself; in the edu-
cation only which belongs the schools and which is Of
times eomprised in knowledge Of mere words but In that
other education OF the world whoh makes words things
resolved educate mysef Garrick kembe and Cooke
and las, greatest Of al Edmund Kean had done
The seame volume from which the Bard Of Avon drew
bis power and mastery lay open before asoNatures
infalbe voiameand the pages Of that great book as
10 the pages Of lis great epitomethe works Of Shaks
peareI eonned the glorious lessons of my arr; Now la
dies and gentlemen IL tire yon please to say So lCres
poet had taught me that
g The proper study Of mankind is man"
And in pursuit OF that strdy soourned Europe Asia
and Africa well 10 the length and breadth Of our
boundles republic To catch the living linearnents
Of passion mixed with the prince and with the potentat
With the peasant and with the proetary, with the erf and
with the savage All the glorious works of belonging
the world Ia painting and In sculpture in architecture
and in letters, | endesvored make tributary to the
studies Of my calling And how uccessui have been in
those studies leave the verdict Of my fellow-conntry
mem applause l--of nay seow-coanrymen who, for
quarter Of century, at least bare denied their
sarrages Ladies and gentlemen have spoken thus much
indulge in amy feeling Of pride 10 CRAFTY any
sentiment egosis bat have done in the hope that
the which have uttered here tonight may be the
neans perhaps Of inspiring in she bosom Of young
enhnsias, who may hereafter aspire WELD the sceptre
of the stageto inspire in his bosom feeling Of conf
dence Some poor feniess boy perchance Of ardent
nature nbued with lofty genus and with all those re-
fned sensibies which nssparably connected with
genius thar be may not ter in his path account OF
the pary obstacles fang il by ENVY, hatred NAL
ice and all uuchariiableness that be may with Wig
heart buckle the OF patient industry, with
his discretion for bis tutor and then with unal-
tering step and with mistaken hrmnes dcspising the
malice Of bis foes