Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-17
Edwin Forrest and East Lynne.

Edwin Forrest and East Lynne.
John Mccullough, like all truly great trsgo-
disps VINO have preccdt biu, possesses very
peroep;ive and synpaihetio appreciated of the
thin partition which divides pathos from hu.
NOR, tragedy from Comedy. This faculty lenda
to bis couve. s.tions peculiar charm, and has
won for him distinction as rccouteur scarc,-
ly Interior 10 that which Clowns his genius as an
artist.
At recent friendly gathering in his paror,
at tho Sturtcvaut House. std which inoiud ID
somo dG l!sut representatives of the art and
literary worlds, MeCrlouch related, among
other anecdotes, orr of the Istc Edwin Forrest,
vi lib rcVosod his b ct powers in this direction,
and apt!T illustrated ct occo tho ucseaeUniny
sympathy o; theatrical audieroe, and the
chaFacterisio san!ibiIi'y OF the crest tracccian
upon shs poiat Of ccLiugal fidelity.
Snesk kloG slr5pos Of Mrs. Henrietta Chan-
frnu's success 10 her New East Lynne." ard
the Cvu:isr Journals graceful recognition OF
her superior arsIs.lc 6xcelIctcs, MaCul!auah
SAID snrnt the production ct tho org nai pay
10 Washington in 1862 II was ther, US you
kno#, travelling with Edse Fcrrcs as bis chief
supporg, end accompanied hial to ~ ash ngio:,
whero 8: Ford's National Thcasrs hc was 10
play an onPegomcnt OF alternate nights East
Lyane' had III .de a greet his 10 Bs!Gmofc, ard
Fo;d resolved upon producing it, on the ttf
nights, 10 Washing too. A special cast wsa Sc
|, cted. 1t assigned TO ne the role Ct Arohibsid
Caryte, Miss Aouie Giahfm. Lady I-aoei; Jas.
A. Herne, Captain LeVlso., sud Mrs. j. X.
Elooen', of ,ston-an cxce4nt 'od w0msu,'
now reired-Miss CorIey. Public oarCs!t2
was excited aud sbo signs OF the box Office and
the streets s proDhes!ed 3 rich sucossa.
hess prcGlcil0Cs were sscmlaGlY realized.
The first night aas isu, and tho nrcd
passed IT capi,aliy. FcfrGss haG bcco aduc2d
by tho iuuo Of the p!cco to Wi:Hees tho rcpic-
sentanOn ltom q private boz. O; G9uraa. thD
ao!crs sGdtoss2d their efforts chiefly to his uta
EeDt, and watched With 81 cltOuS regard the
| features CT ihe great master of tLeir ars to zee
II they coad gather from them ang idea OF the
effect tney stroVa 10 achieve. All of the cas-;
| thought ''thc old mar" ss ihey called him.
! WIS DelDe evidently lmrrcasei; but | wss more
| familiar than they in readipg Ibis miud's con.
| stluc:ioa 10 bis aoo, and kpew thst it express
Cd more OF Resentment than synpa:ty SAW
! ttst he Ta5 sugty bar what about | oou,t cot
ast then dl7l.o.
'At the close cf tho performance, which
| passed of with marked SUCCESS. Fa.rast ssut
| Tor me TO his room st tic hotel. lie looked
| very gtrH sud suilen up5n my cG&rGUca, uud
| &c,Doi!3g Inc IN tone Ct extreme aspceity, do
| c'Grud that tho performance he had jus. Wit
aess. d was the NEST damoraIizing he had ever
| seen, aud that | ought to be ashamed Of my
CONNECTION with it. | protested that | vas
| morey Ga actor 10 tho cast, snd tibet By no dis
torton OF logic could that faot be twisted into
personal endorsement Of the pap. Beside, |
added to oilnCh tho argument, the general ina
terdSt fC!t in lie work By ail oisssos iooontro.
vor,ioly demonstrates its y y,npe,hetc truth.
| "'Bosl! replied Forrest. with chsrao;cris-
tic fervar and cre:gy, I'D bosh. Apply that
prlociple generally aud. you will not fud 1nuca
officially in iaslii3ng tho ctucifxiou of Ch,iss.
The poisonlug ct Sooratcs and tho murder Of
Other martyrs to truth. M, sir; the Tomao is
p bad woman. Thero isn't the slightest jastl.
| foa;ion ut her crime, and tho attempt or tho
dramatist to vic sympathy for hcr is oa1sura.
| bic prostitution oil the best power Of the stage;
vofg dapgor0us lesson for women, VINO Gre
only too apt TO kick ever tho traces of social
restraints, and to make every tarcicd wropg
doing ct tho husband In excuse icr their onu
epses lfcm virtue
| "'DJnt YOU lka tho plsy?' tinidIy in-
q1ircd. 'Crriaiuiy | 40. |: Is good pay,
bus that makes the matter so much tho worse,
beoauso it Deeds but siignt alteration in cue
OF the last speeches to euro tho defect and 10
preserve the purify of tho sia2s. III you will
write tho speech, | said, / will take it upon
myself 10 vim our friend Tayleure's consent to
| the aiItr.ljop, aud will speak It,.
| 'He consented, and on tho Epoc;ea;ng dGy
handed ms q copy OF tho speech. Forast pos
sessed 7emarkablo degree OF intelsc usl 1wer
snd had the faculty Of expressing his thougats
with greater ucidiIy sDd terSe5es5. | ,hluk,
tbao nay maa | ever met 10 our profsssioo.
| Well" continued MoCul9ugh. read the
| speech With csre, and thCush it u ight be &C.
Ii onc ,rueG myself nloUe. 50 did DOT hink it
necessary to iUiorm ,iner Ford OF Miss Graham
! OF itS inter r7clstion iuto The piece. Tbs Gov
croor. as us:d 10 ci F~rrsss for soort, Was
sgsiu 10 the b,x. aud by many lit,e sizes aud
looks eIade me undels.aud tue deep iG;eres; he
! fclI ia the result.
The speech occurred in tie last &C; of the
play, when the BETRAYED husband comforts lis
vile OF her death bed. Up to this pciot the
pre- e ees OF the performance had been followed
with more than usual lu!ertsE BY crowded
audience. ketchcts were 10 active requisi;ion,
aud in sono Instances audible subs responded
to cur efforts from the stsgs. a. last the
crisis of tho scene was reached. Ia tones
tremo!cus with real emotion, end which lent
tho hues OF truth 10 hrr stimulation Of heart
broken grief, Lady lss b,l. VINO had seized upon
the reluctant hand OF her husband, said shrcu sh
her tesrs, On, A,chibald, AN upon The Verge
Of etcrni y. Before / cross it will ycu not speak
one loving word to me2 Win you not say that
vtu forgive my sin, ard Wben l am dead will
f,rget it2' Tue g. sser to ttis touohiug appeal
was iamitisr to perhaps TWO thirds ct the a1-
die1ce, AID they vera evidently in weeping
accord With It's ,erd ae1'ia7ent's.'
Fancy, thtr tore, ;:,a g:ocral surprise, the
sympathetic shcc., "Llou ran through the
house when, Instead of Csrivle's accepted
spet ch of rity and lsrgi7encss, gave quick
glance at Forrest, WHO wss leaning half cut c
his box to caloh the full effect Of his introduo
liop, and began the reply thus 'set down' to
me. /; vas in substance: No. Isabel; cac
neither forgive nor Iorse,. forgiveness is the