New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-19
BRITISH AFFAIRS.
TIE LATE JOHN FORSTER.

>AlE JOIN
us LITERARY LABORs AND Personal TRAITs-JACoB
BRIGHT NOMINATED AT MANCHEsl ER-DRAMATIC
AND PERSONAL NOTES.
lyRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
LONDON, Feb. 81 was lately pointing out the
number of tasks on which Mr.. John Forster was
engaged simultaneously. He was seeing through
the press the third edition OF his friend Dyes
Shakespeare, writing q biography of Dyce for the
South Kensington Catalogue of Dyce's Library, re-
writing his &" Life of Lander" and editing a com
plete edition Of Landor's works in eight volumes,
rewriting his Life of Dickens" and writing for the
first time, largely from materials. that Life OF
Swift" of which the first, and it may be feared the
last, volume was published in December This does
not complete the list of his current labors, but 1t
may help to explain his unexpected death, which
took place Monday. He was man who must
work. Literary toll of one kind another had been
the occupation of his life. Whatever it may have
been in early years. it not, of late, toll to which
any pecuniary need drove him. His means were
ample and he lived in an easy and costly way But
his ambition of literary fame grew cold. and
suppose the considerable fame hc had did not quite
satisfy him. He not n great man 80 much as
the friend of great men, and this was true oi
him both in life and in literature. His name
will never stand alone. He will be remembered
az the bographer of Goldsmith, as the friend ana
biographer of Dickens, and-long after Dickens shall
have ceased to he read-of Walter Savage Lander
He was greatly trusted by both, and wide circle OF
literary men in London knew him and valned him
very dissimlar III all other respects Those WI"
did not hold some rather intimate relation TO him
thought him ponpous. He angered people by dis
play of personal peculiarities, and by what seemed
perpetual self-consciousness and self assertion
THUS, readers of his Life of Dickens complained
with insticc that there was much OF Forster in IT,
The book was too big for the Joint lives of the
two friends. ] should say his best talent was his
sincerity. lie would not do piece Of work Ill II he
knew how to do it WELL and III these days OF hurried
and cranped performance, that Is not slight praise
He had patience, was capable of hard WORK, under
stood how to sift facts if not how 10 group Them
and was on the whole tirst-rate specimen oil
,ccond-rate man.
Not long ago a statue Of Lord Palmerston was SET
up in Westminster, vailed. IL was supposed that II
would be unymled in the usual way; with due
soemuty and oratory. Bat to-day ii stands un-
covered and there has been speech. nor any KIND
of ceremony. For Lord Dcrby's statue, Mr. Daraeh'
his successor. was spokesman. Has Lord Palmerston
left no successor, no dscplc' He was the mighficst
of the PhlstIncs-the last Englishman, Mr. Car
lyle Is said To have called HIM. His statue is erected
inst as the final touch is given to the overthrow oi
the poicv lie had mast AT heart We heard on the
same day of lis silent appearance, and OF the delivery
of the Andla-sy note the Porte, England consent
ing and approving.
For the vacancy which Mr.. Callendcr's death
made IN the representation OF Manchester the LID
erals have nominated Mr. Jacob Bright They are
good tarticans in Manchester. and at great meet
ing of Liberal delegates held on Moniay a ahil'fni
and successful EFFORT was made to smother all "ppo-
,ii!on 10 Mr. Bright and present compact 'front.' 1"
the enemy On first ballot, few votes were cast
for Mr. Odger and for Nh HILBERT, but thcs, NAL
contents were speedily reduced 90 order and Tie
C,rliunan was able 10 announce proudly that Mr..
BrIguts nomination Was unanimous. Inc threat
cucl resistance to him came from quarters which
are in no sense represented by the votes for Mr.
ger. I, is not because Mr. Jacob Bright is not radi-
cal emo r that "A considerable section Of the Liberal
party dislike him. II is because his name i con
uectcd with some causes which 1, The MASS OF mod
crate Liberals are thoroughly di'tasicfn' such aS
Nomau's Right, and the Contagious Disease Act
agitation. H. H. man VI lsns His claims upon
the party are SUCH however. can seldom Ice sue
ccssiully neglected in England. He has been men,
Der ior Manchester before and Was beaten "t the
last election. when lac ral 600 votes behind ~
Thomas Bailey. Manchester Is "a "threr-corncIcd
constituency. and distinguished herself at the last
eneoI election Nv sending two Tories Ia The House
If.
who va. lat Of the three on the poll. There aro
over D. 900 electors. aud the difference between the
highest and Lowest candidate only 200 votes
whic Mr. Calender was only 800 ahead Of Sir
Thomas Bailey. THIS IN not constituency with
which liberties can be taken, and If the Tory can
didate be- heartily supported, 1t is not Improbable
that Mr. Jacob Bright will be beaten. After one or
two trials the Tories have finally settled on MI
Powell an obscurity who HOSTS the Church iiag
Mr. irving has partly recovered from the accident
to his eye, aud ~ AGAIN playing Hdmd mHhily.
Many Of his friends think hun most imPudent III
doing So His work has boen severe during the past
wear. and it is pretty certain he cannot with I'M
punity go on playing such parts "a Hdmid ana
NaoJefh six times "a week. No tragedian has ever
done such a thing. Fechtcr tired IT ior short time
with Hamlei, and had 10 give mp, and content
hiu,elf with three IN place of six performances
Salyini PLAYED only three times week. lie II evl-
IDENTIFY = man Of exceptional physical power, yet he
found this quite enough for him. and said 3D. Mr.
Irving concludes his second series of representations
of Hamlet on Saturday, and begins OfhelO on the
1ttb with an interval of only a week for rest ; and
this. too broken in upon, presume. by rehcafsdis.
Then "Othco" like Hamlet and " Macbeth" Is
10 he played every night. All three are parts re-
ouirng very great. prolonged, aud cXhausthg phys
zeal effort not to speak OF mental effort MI irVihg
~ a man with remarkable powers OF chdnr-
ance. but his strength IL nervous strength
10 a great degree, just tho kind OF strength
which rcsoute will enables man To
DISPLAY in full till the moment comes when he
fails suddenly and utterly That will be NJ. lrvin.s
history if the system of last year il not abandoned
in time. From AN artistic point Of view the system
is equally faulty. The eioct of the ihceSSaht rep
ettion of single character night after night IS not
Aiq IY,fff