Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-24
EDWIN FORREST.

Correspondence Of the New j ork Herald
PHILADELPHIA, December 13.-Seat-
ed at the desk where the dead tragedian
nas so often sat. and grasping in my
hand the pen so often directed by that
hand, now nerveless, I look around For
rests "home''-his library-aDd endeay-
or to fathom that austere existence, the
secret Of that life, the causes of the things
that We're, through the medium Of the
things that are-his books, his pictures,
and the many reminiscences Of that
stormy life. The library was emphati-
cally Forests home, other apartments
Of the large, rambling mansion on the
southwest corner of Broad and Master
streets being nothing TO him save
parts of a great whole. I doubt il
be visited his picture gallery more
than once a week, and then only be-
Die statue Of himself, by Ball His
library was all in all to him, and it was
here alone that he came out of the shell
Of his melancholy, and lived and
thought his nature out. A long room
running from east 10 west across the
south wing of the mansion, having or
either side ten rows of bOOk-shelves in
closed by glass doors, contained his lit
erary treasures. This library Is said g.
be the finest private library IN America, .
and, with the exception Of the British .
Museum, contains the best collection of
iramatie works Ia the wOyld. Near the I
east window, on the table at which he I
often sat and pOred over his books, lays
an open book, the fifteenth volume OF
HalliwelPs Criticisms and COBlmeHt1- (
ries on Shakespeare. The book iE T.
opened at the one hundred and sixth .
page. and q scene from HIDlLet had 4
last engaged bis attention, Mr. For
rest, on Wednesday LAST, had received .
a Herald containing 9 criticism Oh
his reading of HuHlet, and IN I.
company with Mr. Rees (''COliey 1
Cib6er"] he had been comparing the .
aforementioned authority with the .
criticism alluded to. Clark's and 4
Wnghts Notes on Shakespeare also lay 1
on the table, opened at the index page. /
Both books remain as they were left, 4
itting evidences Of the fact that Mr..
Forrest "died in harness" Scattered /
around, in wreckless prOfusiOn, on the
tables, chairs and main shelf of the 4
bookcases, lay Letters, notions, papers,
books. articles of vertu, wearing ap-
parel and one or two tin boxes contain
ing valuable papers. his writing table,
A L
As a receptacle for anything and every
thing. a copy Of shakespeare, printed
u 1882; one or two unopened letters, q
Walkers Dictionary a check-bOOk, Te-
eeipted bills, q letter-the last one he
ever WrOte-addTessed 20 q gentleman
in YOnkers; kilograms, q private seal,
and a motley collection Of newspapers
lie before me now. In glass case on
The outside shelf Of one of the
is a copy of Shakespeare, one
Of the fnst ever printed, bearing date
1923. A ike copy was recently sold in
London for eight hundred pounds ster-
ling. or four thousand dollars. But
shakespeare ab0unds here in many
forms Forrest wOrshipped the great
bard, as his life aRd reading amply tes-
ufy. Passing from the library by g door
IN the eastern extremity, the visitor
steps into the bathroom, and thence
into the sleeping apartment where Mr..
Forrest died Mr.. Forests personal
tastes seem TO have been Of a simple ma
.ure. A plain mahogany bedsteaG, q
Of antique design, a bu-
-eau, and two or three chairs, complete
he furniture A portrait Of bis mother
hangs near the head Of the b6d-a kind
.y, sympathetic face. In this room he
The circumstance Of his \
death are fun Of sadness and replete
with useful lessons. At nine O'Clock
Yesterday morning the breakfast
bell rang, and Mr. Forrest answered
he summons I'm his usual manner, 10y
1 sort Of Affirmative ahem. Katie, F" 1 i
ais tried and trusted domestic Of many
years standing, went down stairs and
awaited mis- coming As be did not APP
pear, Katie became a little impatient,
md went up stairs to ring the bell 2 see
md time. As she approached the door
ihe heard him breathing heavily and
zroaning. Much alarmed, she called
lut, "Ohl Mr.. Forrest, blr. Forrest, are
you sick? What is the matteT2" Bat
40 answer came to her summons, and, Z
thinking both the library and bedroom
loors were fastened, she stood spell &
bound with fear and anxiety. As She
old me the story of his death she
.aid. 81 was almost crazy-the poor
nan diving and 7 not able 10 get
near him." Almost uncOnsciOusly
he tried the library door and
il opened. She rushed through
he library TO the bedroom, and found
Mr.. Forrest stretched on hia back and ,
suffering Intense pain. "Oh,
speak to me, Mr. orTest. What is the
p she called; but still no an
iwer. Almost frantic by this time, she
-an down stairs and apprised her sister
.he cook. sfAdr. Forrest is almost gone.e
she said. Send for Mr.. Reesl Tele-
graph Mr.. Cakes! Send for a doctor [
send for Mr.. DOugherty ~ she cried out
IN turn; but her sister dropped whatever I
was ia her hands and ran Up stairs to
he dying man. She raised his feet
from the side IT the bed and put them
% chair. She sponged his head with T
sold water and opened bis collar and l
tried to get a word from him. He
could not speak, but gave her look Of
such unUtferabie meaning, in which ]