National Republican., 1883-03-08
BOslOn Hcrnld.


thirteen miles from the Quaker city there is
an estate which spreads It broad and fruitful
acres down to the banks of tho Delaware;
everything about the homestead breathes
peace and prosperity. The stranger drives
from the low rooted railway station up long
avenue shaded with elms, which, in the sum-
mer MONTHS must make the progress beauti-
full ; and, passing q stone church, not without
pretensions to rural prettiness, comes to
handsome house and grounds, occupied by
member of representative Philadelphia fam
lily. If he is on the same quest as l am on
this lamblilSe day of the leonne month prog
nosticated by Virgins as of fearful import by
sea and land he does not pause at the gates
of this aristocratic villa, with its startled deer
in etiigy and its green clumps of foliage, but
continues a few rods farther, and finally
sweeps up the carriage drive of, Springbrook,
moln widely known in and out of the theatri-
cal profession as the Forrest home. And If he
has governed his ideas of "what TO expect"
from the cold charity of government institu-
tions, he is apt TO bo startled into an express
sion of agreeable surprise. There is nothing
about this comfortable residence to bring to
mind the fact that its inmates are other than
the members of well-to-do family occupying
a historic homestead. The instant one enters
the hall one finds oneself in the still vital
heart has ceased to beat. Edwin Forrest is
there in sculpture and in painting, surrounded
by evidences of his taste and preferences; and
still more manifest-since the greatest of these
is charity-by the fact that his forethought
has provided what is indeed "home" for
honorable members of his profession. What
ever the abuses, the restrictions, the cold
character of the management of Springbrook
in the past, it would seem now to be the seat
ofa generous and thoughtful hospitality. Let
us speak of place as we find IL, and tho For
rest home is in every respect totally different
from what the public has been led to believe.
First in its appointments. Without know
ing much about il, and basng ones ideas upon
what one would naturally expect to find in
homo, would not one be inclined to believe
that the Forrest institution would be fur
nished and fitted up in uniform fashion, with
so many chairs for each individual one table,
one washstand, one glass, one cot bed-in
short, the hotel-like regulation furniture that
greets one at most places of the sort? On the
contrary, the rich dark, old fashioned, ample
furniture the broad beds, the soft rugs and
carpets, the general appearance of private
house where plenty has reigned for many
years. at once disabuses the visitor of the er-
roneous impression. In ono of the ladies'
rooms is the magnificent cheval glass before
which Forrest was standing tying his cravat
when he was struck with DEATH A pouch at
the side holds the shaving paper he used on
this last morning of his life. This cheval
glass together with many other fine old art-
cles of furniture, was brought down from
THE BROAD STREET MANSION.
The ground floor includes, beside the in
tercsting hall, crowded with works of art,
drawing room provided with handsome
ebony and faded rich brocadc furniture, and
with old fashioned yellow brocade curtains
yelling the windows. From tho rear draw
Ing room one passes to library, TO which an
addition has recently been built, place
having been made for IL by demolishing q
covered carriage entrance. This addition,
gorgeous in q stained glass window bearing a
crest and arms, will give moro room for the
reception ofthe splendid library of 5000 vol
umes, which appreciative residents of Spring
brook must fairly revel in. What feast for
n bOokworm! From the collection of pictures
and works of art that make the house notable,
it is easy to discern Forests preferences
that he had an admiration for Napoleon'I is
certain, for the "man of destiny" is dupli-
Gated again and again. The cOnqueror of
Moscow draws aside the curtains of a
window that discloscs the burning ruins of the
Russian city; he appears again in his corona
tion robes, as in Davids picture, and sits in
mute contemplation, with arms crossed and
brow knit-a little statuette that shows the
very epitome of greatness Andrew Jackson
was another of Forests heroes his earlier
picture is original and striking. 1t shows a
less grabbed, more genial man than the "Old
Hickory" of latter years. Calhoun's strong
countenance looks down from the walls. The
atrical personages are numberless; there is
John Philip Kemblc more than once; the fa-
miliar one of Hamlet, and less heroic, but
probably more correct counterfeit presentment
of the head alone; two widely different pic
lures of Edmund Kean are also conspicuous,
and Garrick appears again and again. There
are small pictures of the elder Booth and the
oil fnnF, 10 tln q,
sized portrait of Jefferson, tho very first
Jefferson; the sensitive face shows family
likeness to his grandson, dear to us as Rip
Van Wrinkle, and is so like the present
"Joe's" father that "like father like son"
is strikingly sustained. This picture has
the place of honor beside the portrait of For
rests mother, while ut the left of the
benignant, strong, genial, and almost vivacious
face of the black browed old lady in the white
cap is portrait of Patrick Henry Forests
mother must have been Il woman of decided
character. Her countenance is luminous with
courage, enterprise, and vitality. Beneath
this portrait are the charming companion
pictures by Bellows Morning "."Noon, )" and
Evening" The young father and mother,
with the infant in the proud fathers arms,
are setting sail in boat from the verdant,
pastoral banks of n shining stream then comes
the bride, crossing the ferry in the same beat,
on her way to the village church and, finally,
is half submerged in drifts of snow, while the
mourners bear a funeral pail over the country
road beneath leaden sky.
There are two large pictures in the collec-
tiOn. One is that of the christian Martyr
the youth who is found sleeping calmly by
him who is charged with the duty of deliver
ing him to the savage lions and the other
Forests favorite-Von Bremen's picture of
two little girls preparing to take bath in q
woodland spring An angelic, fair haired
child, who is endeavoring to see if the water
is cold, is contrasted with her piquante and
more self reliant, brave companion.
THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT
The flesh tints are so excellent as to make the
painting worth the 5000 paid for it. In the
collection are such works as picture of the
race horse Edwin Forrest, which was owned
by Col. Cadwallader; one of tho steamboat
named after the tragedian-it still plows the
Delaware; and portrait of the late George
Jones, with an Inscription which shows that
IN 1858 IL was presented to Edwin Forrest by
the Count Johannes" The great actor him
self is shown in all his characters, including
such ones rs William Tell, little familiar TO
the general public. Mr., Thoman, the veteran
actor who serves as most intelligent guide
at the home where he has resided for six
years, pointed out the difference in the cos
tune in which Forrest played Othello at two
periods of his career, and also called attention
To certain articles disposed of at recent sale,
which appear in this gallery of character pic
lures. In the collection of swords there is a
Roman weapon which once belonged to Talma,
and which bears his name. Two pictures of