New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-04-17
KR EDWIN FORREsTAS SPARTACUS.

The artist who attempts to portray or idealze a
ed historical character labors under the dsad
rspt.,s of having to contend with established
heal In The mind Of his spectator, or au Hence which
4 hsrcl, compensated by the aid which he receives
rom he knowledge of his subject possessed by his
dso. Washington, for instance, or Napoleon,
mild hs An impossible character for actor to rep
sa.. Ever, man has his own idesl Washington; an
..l M actor or artist could inpersonse, aud suy at
ann, tn do il must nece ssary prove failure. Tue
Lsst !, h.mpered in his Imagination, aud bound down
.o,sxtnr ideals in attempting to represent we'll
,ovu character and perhaps this lie enc of the chief
s,sson vbv ali historical plays with the exception
fSA.lsoor,'s, have been failures. They hsve either
zen tame limitations or extravsgaot csricasures,
,d |, either case have failed to satisfy the senti-
IN, of an intelligent audience. The oramatst
lould create bis characters and his incidents, or
" take for his subject obscure personases ana
Ye known episodes OF history, which no may mold
fhh purposes without doing violence 10 The pre-
lncelysd ideas Of his audience. History, In
A. is rarely dram ate, and never poetlcA IN
hlisr out its rewards and puDishments; aud Tor
hmstc purposes, its events must be crowded TO-
her without. regard to chronology, or Difference 10
&.bli.hsd facts Lord Bacon has very sensibly re-
nled that cotton L. superior to history, inasnuch
In .ou. the author 40 to shspe his events and DIS
l. a nj. Characters thst tie Imagination of the
hde, will coincide with the propriety OF the catas-
kahs But most Of our modern dramatis,s have
sS.r lacked the inventive faculty, or misconce'ved
u nature Of their object, and have chosen for their
suss some vel known episode of history ior ara
Ixic illustration. Shakspere and Scott have alone
peesoed in employing the historical element LOT tue
rposes of the drama and Of romance Notnng
ms easier than TO work up history into hcnop, ou'
knhe has proved more difficult If Shakespeare ana
ksu djd not fail, it was becsuse their marvellous
k.ir 6Iled their creations with IN efalgence oil
bssy vAish dszzled the imagination aud obl''er.
Cd from the memory all its preconceiyed Ideals anu
sds even !esden facts seem false when placed Dc
y her golden fctions. ~
Doctor Bird Thoughts writer Of undouoted sohity
u Of great inventive talent, as he has SHOWN IN Ms
hlsvr and other romances, was neither Shak-
ss nor Scott and II be has failed, in his 81 Tta-
D. preserve the ideal OF the glad .tor which MS
y md poetry ard art have all united TO cres'e
IN only failed in an attempt where none but tne
ss.sst genius could have triuuphed. But, with al
] di6calties he has succeeded TO certain extent;
Ibis play falls short Of the highest excellence
n lees, deserves place by the side o.. the dramauc
educ.ious OF Knowles and Bulwer. The character
f-s-s-- a. Ia -; adapted TO the physique Of Mr..
ssst, or rather no is well adapted to the charsc-
and he possessed true histrionic genius, we
-Ioy conceive Of q more satisfying and absorbing
~a'asat tasn bis Improvisation Of such char