Daily national Democrat., 1861-06-01
A Criticism on TOrrests

! The following choice and able criticism of
the great American trogedian, is by the
"Kritic who sits in the paroquete." We are
unable to give his name.
Edwin Forrst of Philadelphia has certain
natural gifts for playing a human hero, the
most remarkable bein' his leg, viii is the
chi9fest among ten thousand, and the one al
togetherlovely. His presence is also egspres-
siye of ancient Rome. In fact my fen once
remarked to me: "Forrist wouId pass for
two carikters-a alderman of Imperial Rome
OF a Fulton Market butcher, and YOU take
your choice" The charaktir Of ''Nirgnyus'
also admits of great strength of voice, of
which Forrist possesses several volumes bound
in calf; but when it comes to the intellek of
the part, the play is too much for the arik.
The original "Nirgnyus' was a Secession
cuss of Roman, who suffered aginy because
the gay "Appius was elected, and went in
for disunon strong. lie didn't happen to
have any acquaintance of the name of Floyd,
80 he couldn't make raise on the Roman
treasury bonds; but he swore that "Arpius"
was black Republican, and he couldn't
think of such thing as treating him civil.
He had an old fren, an 1rishman named
Dentaters," and young fren appropriately
called Asillycus. These two trens Joined
him in swearn' vengeance on the new Ad-
ministration; and all it wanted was whisky
in quantities TO suit purchasers, and a lew
African frens, to make them regular South
erners. Virgnyus" was a centurian, and
commanded hundred Roman Zouaves, and
my fren says that he was the original Old
Hundred
Edwin Forrist reminds me Of Kirby when
he stalks uto the streets with a red night
and tolls n mn plpptiup of llpmOpruiS
with thin legs that President Appus is a
"Pie-ee hee-ee-an," which | take to be the
Roman for black Republican. When the
Democrats, who hoped they won't be turned
out of the Custom House give three cheers
for the abolition, he walks off the stage with
Asvllicus, through the side of a three story
paIls, with dignity bespeaking the high
salary of the artik. In the scene where
"Virginyus" accuses "Virginia" of wanting
to secede with "Asillycus," Forlist reminds
one Of an elephant knitting lace. He is a
man of too heavy intellek TO do the deicacies
of the season with fragl woman; and as
my fren remarks, it was like one of Barnum' 5
cinnamon bears tryin' to thread a needle.
When the messenger from Rome finds the
centurian on the battlefield, gibbering over
the body of "Dentaters," who was killed in a
street fight, and tells him that if he don't
hurry home "Alplus Will fuo ms uauguter
off on the underground railway, the Phila-
dephia artik is a fine study for John Cough.
When he says: Il am patient, you see, and
pants and starts, and shifts, he is like South
ern Congressman in the fifth act of deiirium
trangles, and the curting descending to slow
musk My fren said it made him think of a
SON of Malta sufferin' with collik after too
many lemons in his punch.
In fha preat snana of the forum. where the
exaspirated parient kills his daughter TO keep
her out of the black Republican White
House, Forrist is ramparagiouly splendid.
He plunges the knife into Virginia's hoop
skirt with the fury of young lion on the
mountains of Hepzidam, and then howis
hideous; ''Appius, by the innocent blood OF
me cheyild, do vote thee to the internal
gads!" 1t was marvellous. 1t was roar
like the CRATE bull of Bashan. Edwin Forrist
is CRATE artik though he comes from Phila'
delphia.