New-York tribune., 1871-03-28
MR. EORRESTS LEGS.

Philadelphia, as we all KNOW, ~ peculiar VII
the subject of legs. The Black Crook is ad-
mittod to her stage only after deal of de-
mur, and the Grande Duchcsse can't get in at
all, even under the protection of Col. jim
Fisk To us, in whom familiarity has bred
contempt, it does seem that the Quaker City
exaggerates the sacredness of that portion of
the human form to which Stdldtd and Meta
mora owe an equal but unlike renown. The
stuffed and padded creatures of the bounding
ballet, the powdered footman OF genteel COM
edy, the muscular gladiator of the roaring
Roman drama, and the stoical son 0f the for
est are alike amenable to the cynical
criticism of the metropolis, which sees de-
lusion in the swelling calf and suspects
cotton in the rounded limb. If the Venus
de- Medci herself should come upon the scene
at Niblos, there would be critics to accuse her
of sawdust But in Philadelphia it seems such
temerity is not allowed. Two or three years
ago a rash journalist pricked Mr.. Edwin For
rests calves, metaphorically speaking, with a
sharp pen; and, unlike the British footman
upon whom Artemus Ward performed a similar
operation with pen knife, Mr.. Forrest hOwled
Z" with anguish In other words. he brought
an action for damages; and the case has just
been settled, after two years. delay, by formal
retraction of the offensive observations and
a discontinuance of the suit 1t is hardly
necessary to say that we regard this inglorious
termination of what promised to be thrilling
ard important case with profound disappoint-
ment.
The libeleus 'criticisms appeared in NOvem-
ber, 1867 in The Sunday Dispatch, and con-
sisted in substance of two wildly grotesque
imaginary conversations between the critic
and the actor. Mr.. Forrest was made to ex-
press the most excruciating remorse for his
'long and guilty career upon the STAGE" his
"bloody murders of Shakespeare" and his
colossal crimes" At thought of his offenses
he "burst into tears and his calves heaved
"and sweled with unfeigned agony There
was something about glass of brandy, taken
as restorative {" thereby meaning and in
"tending7-to quote the language of the COM
plaint-" that the plaintiff as an actor was adj
"dicted to the use of spirituous liquors ~ but
the crowning aggravation was Mr.. Forests
pretended confession that his legs were
Stuffed thereby meaning that the plaintiffs
reputation as an actor was the result of i'm
position and deceit" Certainly this was
rather personal and not in the best taste /; but
it was not half so bad as The Blatherskite's
imaginary conversation with Mr. Summers
trunks, because nobody but some new kind of
idiot could suppose that it was meant to be
believed. Nevertheless, Mr.. Forrest sued Tho
Sunday Dispatch, and laid his damages at the
pretty figure of $4,000,
The case ought to lave gone TO trial. Then
we should have known whether it is really
libelous to charge ladies and gentlemen with
employing the devices OF art to enhance the
charms of nature. We should have learned
whether pads, palpitators plumpers, switches,
glass eyes, and hair dye, can be made, in a
legal point of view, the subject matter of "a
false, scandalous, malicious and defamatory
publication" which is very important ques-
ton not only for dramatic critics and propre-
tors of newspapers, but likewise for society
gOssips and the loungers of watering places
And finally the great problem of the reality of
Mr.. Forests calves might have been settled
for all time if, as The Philadelphia Post sug-
gests. the legs of the distinguished ira |
gedian had been produced in court and
properly prodded by an intelligent and
high-minded jury of his countrymen. In
stead of this Mr.. Forrest withdraws
the suit and The Dispatch admits that
g the articles complained of were beyond the |
" limits of dramatic criticism" which anybody |
who knows what dramatic criticism is must |
admit to be an extremely handsome and un-
expected acknowledgment. The Dispatch more
over repudiates the brandy, but is silent about |
the legs. This is unfortunate. Mr. Forrest |
ought TO have insisted upon some compensa-
ton to his calves, and the editors relief at |
getting rid of the libel suit is 80 huge and his
praise of the plaintiffs generosity is 50 hearty, !