The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-31

DIG AT FoRREsT.-The oyster house critics OF
some Of our contemporaries, VINO got frightened
for few days at the sensation which they had
created in theatrical circles, by their cut and
thrust attacks upon Forrest, have taken our
advice, looked narrowly into the rights and
liberties Of criticism, and rushed again into the
field, equipped and prepared to carry out the
campaign, even to-the taking of Sebastopol.
The bugbear of the Fry verdict, held up in ter
rorem before them, took, for day or two, the
wind out of their sails, but now that we have
demonstrated to them the illegality of that jury
decision, they have plucked up courage, and
purpose to carry on the war to successful ter
mination, doubtless in the interest of free dis
cussion and art.
Now, in great many Of the structures of
these oyster house critics, we entirely concur.
They are written, it is true In coarse, slashing,
knock, him down, Stanwix Hall style, but it
cannot be denied that there is a good deal of
Justice in them. We never thought very high.
ly of Forrest in his Shaksperean characters
All the great creations of the Bard of Avon, as
enacted by the elder Kean, were our models in
that department of the drama. Since his time
no English or American actor-be he Macready,
Forrest, Anderson or Brooke--has ever reached
the pinnacle of excellence which became vaca-
ted by the death of that great artist We have
constantly expressed, both in public and in
private, similar opinions with regard to For
rests approximations of these characters, al
though couched, it must be added, in different
style of language from that of his present
judges. Much as we object to the Tom
Hyer style Of these subterranean critics.
style owing, no doubt, to their oyster cellar as.
sociations-we are bound to admit that they
have as perfect right to express their OPT
mons on the merits or dement's of profess
sional artist, as we had in the case Of profess
sional manager, although that right was at
tempted to be invaded by On ignorant and pre-
JUDGED verdict. That verdict was as gross and
impudent violation OF the liberty of the
press as has ever taken place. 1t was verdict
that could not be justified by any law, sane
toned by any judge, or delivered by any jury
in either Germany or France, where the press is
placed under more CALLING restrictions than in
this enlightened country. We therefore ap-
prove of the oyster house critics persisting in
expressing their free and unterrifed opinions
Of the professional merits of Forrest or Of any
other performer or manager connected with
our theatrical establishments.
1t has been intimated to us that Marshall,
the manager of the Broadway, and Forrest, the
actor, guillotined on this occasion, were both,
at first, very much annoyed and savagely in
clined towards the oyster house critics. What
ever may have been the first feeling of Forrest
on finding himself cut up and slashed in this
butcher-like fashion, we cannot too highly
commend the subsequent good sense and tact
Of Marshall, who, instead of advising the actor
to make a fool Of himself by getting angry,
couDselled him to keep cool and trust to the
reaction Of these attacks, naturally antici-
pating that people would rush to the Broadway
to see how far they were correct. The result
has fully justified his expectations. The benches
Of the theatre are nightly thronged by anna
teur critics, and all parties are benefited by
the excitement The public are interested and
amused; the actor, whilst he is taught to cor
rect some of his worst faults, turns his errors
to profitable account in a pecuniary senses
whilst the adroit manager blesses his under
ground critics and fervently hopes they may
continue the war.
We say, therefore, to these oyster house
critics, go on and prosper in your vocation;
exercise your right to cut, carve and slash in
the most approved Grub street fashion, and
don't be afraid of laying it on too heavy or too
thick. Discard from your minds all apprehen-
sons arising from the Fry verdict. That de-
cision was an impudent departure from the
principles Of right and justice, aud the time
will come when the verdict Of another jury
will formally stamp upon it the Ubiquitous
character which it already bears in the eyes of
all honest men.
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES AND THE CHURCH Pro