The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-09-25

looks back with horror.
Forrsat and the American Drama-The
Latest Metropolitan Sensation.
Il has been very truly said Of Va that We de-
light in sensations Sometimes our sensation
is political, sometimes diplomatic Gas in the
case of the Japaneee). sometimes historical and
poetic (as in the visit of the Prince Of Wales,
sometimes maritime (as in the voyage of the
Great EASTERN. These sensations react upon
the newspapers-we mean newspapers in the
tue sense of the term. which reflect the state of
the public mind and we have sensation de.
striptious OF the latest sensation. done in the
sensation style. That makes sensation journal
ism. which is Of the very highest order, because
it depicts passing events exactly a. they i'm
press themselves upon the masses Of the people.
To be sure it bothers our British cousins some
what; but that il to be expected. in the natural
course Of things. They viii know better By
andby. Just now the latest sensation Is ia
the literary, artistic and fashionable world and
it is a theatrical one. 1t is long time since
there was q theatrical sensation in New York.
Latterly the legitimate drama has at
tracted no special notice. II seemed as if
all the great actors lad died out, and left no
successors. Melpomene, in point Of fact, has
been pr, up6n the retired list. ITALIA, Eu-
terpe and Terpsichore have regned supreme.
The tragic muse, in utter despair, had resolved
to swallow her own poison. The old playgoers
incurred over the departed glories of the Park,
and betook themselves to long dinners and short
whist French comedies and melodramas kept
the theatrical stage, and the votaries Of the
classic plays solaced themselves with the Opera.
But nous arons charge tola celia. A mighty
magician in the person of Forrest, has changed
in one week the whole order of things theatrical,
and restored the masses to their old time ale
glance. Shakspere, sensation playwright,
is once more the prime favorite with the public.
During the past week Mr.. Forrest has played
Hamlet four times to houses which have been
literally TANNED. With each succeeding per
Torrance the demand for places increases, and
the run of the play seems likely to be almost
in.erminable. People put themselves to all sor's
Of inconvenience and personal discomfort ia
order to get sight at the stage, and ladies re
main standing in the Hobbies and corridors
throughout performance which continues dur
ing nearly four hours. And in these vast crowds,
which might be doubled il the theatre was
sufficiently capacious, the most perfect order
reigns. While the play is going on there is the
most profound stiffness, broken only by fierce
bursts of applause.
1t is clear, then, that Mr.. Forrest has made a
sensation. and that he returns to the American
stage without rival near the throne. He over
tops all bis fellows. as Ulysses lowered above
the Grecian hosts. 1t il not to be wondered
at either, that there are persons who do not
understand the merits Of the new sensation,
and who attempt to put down Forrest by at
lacking him for the very peculiarities, mental
and physical, which have made him so success
full. These fellows are generally foreign advsu-
turers, washed across the Atlantic by tbs over
6ow of European civilization. and they stupidity
expect TO mould matters ia this new country,
full of live men and fresh vitality, to the con-
ditions Of the old ard edste European sys.
tens. 1t Is the same thing with them
in letters as In art We remember
one Of these philosophers who had written a
book and complained because it was called q
"sensation novel; "very WE'LL replied the
reviewer, Il shall be very happy to correct the
statement. and to say that the book made no
sensation whatever. and that Is always the
case with such people, who are so far lost In
the contemplation Of their own presumed i'm
portance that they can see nothing Of what IS
going on around them.
As to Mr. Forrest, the secret Of his succeeds is
plain enough to people who understand the
American mind. Acting, according to
Shakspere and common sense. Is to show the
very age and body of the time, and by conse-
quence to be varied according TO the idiosyn-
cracies OF the players audience. Thus the
Greeks had their style, the English theirs and
the French theirs. The American style has yet
to be formed. Mr.. Forrest has commenced the
work, and as we are building up new civiliza-
ton upon the relics Of the past, and as our art
and literature are necessarily a composite. in
which we take all the good In the old schools
as a foundation, and then work II mp with
our own ideas, II follows tina, any savish imi-
taiion or reproduction Of any one system, no
matter how excellent II may have been in its
day, will never answer with us. Here Is the
great error made by some Of Mr.. Forests
critics They have generally little learning,
some facility Of language and a technical know
ledge Of what are called the canons Of criticism.
So they wrap themselves up in their self con-
ceit, and attempt to measure the pyramids with
foo, rule. That Is, II Forrest does not play
Hamlet as Brown, or Smith. or Jenkins. did
twenty years ago, !, follows that Mr. Forces,
cannot play Hamlet at all, and the public Is
very stupid to think that he can, and TO pay him
so handsomely for attempting IT,
And the fact il that, in the opinion OF the old
plsygoers who remember the great actors
twenty or thirty years ago. Mr.. Forests Ham