New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-22


piouaucy. The influence of this bewidering society
on Forrest is described by Mr.. Alger in style OF
too ample luxuriance, which not unfrcquently en-
traps the writer with It's insdious enticements:-
These men and these women, naturally enough. were
fascinating the adeleeccnt actor whose iacutes "ee
aglow with ambition TO eaSs ,h m of the liv-
ing world which II was bis profession 70 pgItTaN , an
whose passions were just Breaking from their fullest bud
Nor was lie ANY fscin aing them His binneouHge
bis Young formative docIliy aud eageihess ms snns
onenness Of face aud bearing sadly changed III lacr
year., and the uaIDeless badge OF personal usuncon
drew tic 20 make much Of him. 80 TIE ouinhes on
m ~ sunorbIy defired the deep aud mellow tones
of his ringing voire which the clangms OF The Whole
organism audible. bis large aLd daIk-DIoWh eyes
SO clearly set aud brilliant bis fresh blood tecmng over
him i'm vital revelation at each vehement mood and the
speaking truthiulness of his pOrtTayals OF thought ana
sentment IN character, imagine tzed the women, secured
hin, many nafteriug smile aud note and flower and led
10 slight experience IN amours, when put thcl
ancnt stamp upon his beng, and often rose
aut of lie vsias OF memory In pictures when he shut
his eyes and unused in hi lonely Old age. ploSiaphy
Of Forrest which omitted bese things would DE nke
description Of the saint Lawrence without an alsoh 10
Niagara.
But Forrest was of too sturdy nature to become
the victim Of the effeminate charms of syDartish
capital He was possessed with native love OF
truth and reality, he was full of ingenious life,
sportive afectionate, eminently companionable,
but with strong aversion to the articles and fic-
tons of fashionable pretense. Mr.. Alger dwells on
this trait with his usual exuberant elOquqice:-
Caldwell felt strong interest the young actor and
was of service him outside of the tneaer rs well as
within il. He introduced INN 10 higher ordeI ol So
eiety with arstOcratc manners ana rehned accom-
psnments than ne had been accustomed TO- thus aioru
ing hin opportunity, Lad he been 80 minded TO MAKE
As Keen observer and quick learne ne did not fi 10
reap valuable fruits from inc adNanlascS thuS
afforded him But his iOrtc lay not IN this direction
lie had them ana always afterwards, deep chldse 20
all that is called fashionable society lie was msHier.
hly democratic in his very bones For the elaborate
forms and conyenilonaes OF the polite world Le hau
night ia honest speech and demeanor, making MS outer
manifestations correspond exactly win ms inner states
accordance WIN tlc
The society 10 pretend 10 be inferior where he elt
himself superior 10 affect 10 DC interested wien nc MaS
bored to express nsBcero nOthiugs 10 ave pleasure
and carefully hide his most earnest thoughts ana reel
iugs lest they should give PAIN Iuis arr OF p1Sheu III
tercourse-uite necessary in our world, aud often as
artistic and useful It is artificial and compromising
he yehementy dishked, aud Was never an adep ~ iu
stead of graceiuy appTOp Tiaug II for s SPACIOUS uses
while Spanning evils, lie npaenuy rebeied against
il, siigmatiziug II in blunt phase as clsed hy ocis
luis hm It II neediul 10 lec0gpzc as one o te
keys ms character and career athletic bun ma
ture, true and generous Lacked me heNle s1aNi.! 81
the irituce qualities, lack which prevented ms UNI
veIsal s., nun TO Jar on persons Oh suean
!sh disposition Oh iastdo.s taste Oh'l Iohs VI
revulsiVe experiences had trained n % Oe silent ana
recent ms mpulsive frulness and passionate love OF
freedom made II extremely iiksone ana cuane 10 ni
purpOsry adapt himself 10 others dt the expense Oh
his own honest emotions. lie Dever could be IN ne
slightest degree coufiier or tuChhtei, uutIlIhe
Edmund Kean, and many another man III sehlus MhOse
Astounding and iupetuCuS soul loved nature aud NUN
in their spontaneous forms more than any ~ the guided
substitutes Tor thcnhe ever preferred 10 Dr. Wlth thOse
n
and lust as lac fe His playing IA the tneate, instead
of fitting ~ reaction unittcd hm for playing III society,"
from it, desired to he TIC basis OF this verable self
assertion ms vigorous manincss ana 30 lar 10 was
cTedtable h.m But Inc e&trak aSauce 10 WHICH he
carried il partOOk OF pride ana willuness ana was an
imperfect as has without when society could
scarcely get IL cannot be neglected WIFI npuity.
Forrest exception but pad the penalty Tor hs
ndependcncc neglect with winch Fashion, as suc,
always treated hiln
Of MIR. Forests subsequent career as a tragedan,
Mr. Alger presents an elaborate description, with a
philosophical analysis of the principles on which its
vitality was founded, in regard TO which, with the
space at our command, we cannot give even The
briefest hint The details concerning the personal
traits and habits of the great player of general
interest and may be made the subject of a rapid
survey. According to the exhaustive portrature in
these pages Mr. Forrest cherisheda profound respect
for his profession and was scrupulously observant
of ITS peculiar duties. lie conscientious IN the
study of his parts puuctua in rehearsal and at per-
Torrance and neglected no condition essential to
success. At the commencement of season. he went |
through a course of careful training strictly regu-
atng his habits of diet and his hours of exercise
and sleep, and during an engagement permitted no
self-indugence to impair the energy of his powers.
He avoided the of artificial stImulants relying
on a sufficient supply of plain and Wholesome food,
and rigid attention TO the hours of rest. His
fidelity IN physical drill made him prodigy OF
strength and endurance. Still he could not be re-
garded in any respect as model OF combined NEIL
tai and physical culture. His gymnastic coarse
a, d heavy based on bone and muscle rather than on
brain and nerve. He had no fine sense of musical
rhythm His blood was too thick for the most deli
cate suggestions of the Imagination. But within his
limitations he was a marked type of immense origi-
nal and cultivated power. His care OF his bodily
strength affords instructive study In hygiene lie
daily practiced athletic exercises posturing with
dumb-bells or Indian clubs with constant drives or
walks in the open air. He was extremely attentive
10 ventilation and loved the sunshine with the ar
dor of a Parsee. He was always temperate IN food
and drink He Stunned luXuries, and preferred "A
diet of ascetlc simplicity. He sought more tempt
ing daiutes than oatmeal cracked wheat, corn-meal
mush brown bread, Scotch bannocks, cream, and
buttermilk When hard worked, he would go regu-
larly to bed in the daytime to complete the INSULT
Gent repose of the night. He could easily catch
nan at any moment and at such times his deep and
full respiration was like clockwork He attached
great inheritance TO the care of the skin, which he
kent in the highest order by thorough system of
abution, friction, and percussion of the back and
SHINE with elastic balls fastened to the ends OF two
little clubs.
The closing years of Mr. Forests life described
by his bograpber, i'll spite of the clouds which had
spread over it a tragic gloom, were not without
alienation and solace. His home, though darkened
by great sonows was always crarmed spot III ms
hours of WEAKNESS and bitter fances lie took
great ght in the works of art he had collected His
picture gallery contained paintings which stood to
him in the place of friends. Often Of night when
he was unable TO sleep, he would rise and light the
room and gaze on them if they offered sympathy
and refreehment to his troubled spirit His fayorte
haunt was his library, which opened in the rear upon
a spacious garden. On beng asked by friend why