The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-29
SOME NEW BOOKS.
The IIfe of Edwin Forrest.

| IL Is difficult to understand what Mr.. W. r.
ALGER's purpose was in writing his two vol
umcs. entitled A Life Of Ed,cm Forrest. There
is so much that is purely speculative in them,
they arc so dialcotic and discursivc. that ono
suspects. in spite of his admiration for the
| authors learning and strenuous honesty of
statement. that the story OF Mr. Forests life and
iabors was chiefly interesting to him because it
furnished the occasion or the excuse for series
of aesthetic essays.
Curiousy compounded as these essays are OF
the mysticism the science and the rationalism
of the hour. they nevertheless are brilliant OBJ
scuration Of what purports to be the vital theme
Of the biographor; and however anxious Mr..
Algcr may have been TO portray the character
and fix the professional status Of Mr.. Forrest.
It 10 impossible to avoid one oftwo convictions
either the facts upon which he had to work
were too mcagre and nconclusive to exhibit the
strength and significance Of that character. and
the author was compelled to work out the prob
lcm Ivy n subjective method. or he lacked tho
historians capacity 10 grasp tho moaning OF an
cvcntiu limo that was written with all the We
hemenco of intense action in the circumstances
Of our own time.
We are forced TO accept the most dlsagreeahle
OF these alternatives. 1t is not to our mind the
want Of significance in the gathered facts OF Mr.
unsatisfactory. 1t is the lack Of that sympa-
thetc insight. and intuitive apprehension in
the biographer. without which the rugged cir
cumsianccs Of such career as was the great
actors. pass like bits OF n splendid panorama
but reveal nothing Of the inner mystery Of the
man.
1t is not too much TO say that the story Of Mr..
Forests life. when it Is gathered out OF the
profuse irrclevancc Of Mr. Algers commentary.
and is read aright, is full Of interest. and not
without cdincatlon. But its very simplicity and
honesty coniuscs the philosopher and moralist.
He ia not quite sure at the start that he ought 10
write the book. so he sets to work TO convince
himself and his readers with an APOLOGY. This.
to say the least Of il. is unfortunate. II he had
had any convictions upon the subject would he
have wasted time in making formal excuses be-
fore he uttered thcm2 Not having any. he en-
dcavored 10 evolve from his own consciousness
an aesthetic system which would account for Mr..
Forrest.
So far rs this written history and popular ira
dition reveal the man Forrest TO us he does not
appear to d 1er widely from many OF the emil
ncnt actors who have preceded him-if there is
"A difference it is cumulative. There was n
great deal more Of him. We see in him a youth
Of overlooking vitality strong to aggressiveness
in all the energies Of high health staiwart.
vigorous. handsome and trumpct-tongued;
with that special temperament in which the
sensihiltics are as dominant and ms acute as in
woman. hut Offset by a will as strong and ~
undiscipllncd rs that Of savage Nature is
here in all liz fullncss and all its Violence but il
cNponds itself in expression before he Ia out Of
boyhood lIa must speak in more sonorous
tones than those which are allowable in his
prosaic life. for the pulse beats violently in him.
4 Hot i.
SO he enacts melodrama in woodshcd. Such
rudimcntary education MS IA receives kindly.
because unconsciously. is furnished TO him in
the pit OF the Old South Theatre True he is
sent TO school. but he does not care so much for
ideas as for sensations. Seen even through Mr..
Ayers amabe Dissertations he is at this time
neither good nor studious. He is impatient.
reckless. dominecring. and vain. He fights his
way 10 his desires with his fists. and one day
leaps. harlequin like upon the h ards. ms IT, in
decd destiny had no other place for him. and
in an incredibly short space of time he is en-
gagged Tor n season by Manager Jones at s3 a
week MS a utility man"
Then follow three years Of a vaRahond nov-
into. With SANITY wardrobe. Bible. and
lunch Of play books hc starts out in the world.
and we have only faint and far-away adumhra-
tons OF him-now believing in barn. now
prcunious. but apparently happy in the free
dom Of his adventurous lot. rs such natures
always are. Ho is nmblc versatile. untlrlne.
SO he turns his gifts into any ready channel.
H. can sing comic song at Il pinch. II llu IS
vigorous breakdown. Ia can ride a horse
Ike Cossack. and. If il comes 10 "a crisis. tum-
Bile little TO I'LL up the scene. lie even smcars
hls face with ampblack, for burnt cork is not
yet discovered. and reproducos the plantation
darkey in all his cbullcnt looseness. In this
happy so-lucky stage OF development there is
no Sgn of any other purpose than the success
OF the moment He is q victim of his impulses.
In moment If pquc We see him Offering him.
self as clown to a circus manager: and when
saved 10y the intcrpositon of u friend he starts
for New Orleans To fling himself into the dis
solui' circles oil what MAS then the gaycst city
of the States.
Mr. Forrest is now upon tho verge ~ success.
The opportunity las come to him. lie plays in
roles far above his understanding. hut he plays
in them with strangely new cogoncy. and he
wins the attention Of public that j. only too
lldd 10 recognize force. HIS ilun personal ap-
l'arance. AMI his frco-handcd ~fyic make him
hosts Of admirers and boon COMPANIONS. For
the first Tim" hc has tho mean, of .ratllyln. his
appottcs, and b. lrAt,los them with the re-. k
'-~n' - and un .onccru OF avid. uusONtrnahlc
natarr. SUCH lame as lac 81. ur,s If pat OF
a. 81 .--olutc l.fo. and W. understand that II he
i- nicotine with suee, rs hc is not striving Tor il.
The a. .,d"nis oi physical beauty and fitness
are SUM 'i,nt to a,.oDnt for the u l.il,At~ of
lo'l regularity. IT, may have dreamed in u
irN'u ana i.NDr.-l Way Of uuulrr achieve
m'n and 81 scrur. reuuWn. lat there H. uorvi-
d"ur that hc sought at this time To- r,uli1c his
cream los sr.l--aDlf 'o or the dis ,ipiine Of his
o D