Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-11
WITH A GREAT ACTOR.
Interesting "reminiscences of Edwin
Forrest.
he WAS MISREPREsENTED.
Insight Into His Hidden Life-His Re-
spect for Everything sacred-Chartty
and Generous Praise-Desponden and
Happy Moods.
Written for TIE EVENING star

!" article in a Sunday journal on Edwin
2LkForrest, in which he Is made to sp-
ypear a very irreverent man. and the
Vaxy remark attributed to him by the
writer no doubt shocked many Of those who
read il. desire to protest against the attitude
IL places Mr. Forrest in before the world.
knew him WELL and saw a good deal of him in
the last few years OF his professional life, and
after his retirement some years ago, had
the pleasure of spending some time under his
roof on Broad street, Philadelphia, and in
ell nv intercourse with him nothing of
him remains so indelibly fixed upon my men,
DRY a. the reverence he ever displayed toward
all things sacred. He was not a religious man,
In the general acceptation of the word, but his
intercourse with the Sisters of Charity. who pur-
chased his Fonthill property. that is now Mount
Saint Vincent, and the liberality he displayed
In that transaction toward the institution, en-
deared him to them His portrait hangs con-
spicuously on the castle walls. He was well
come guest when he paid his yearly visit of a
day or two to the late sanity Mother
Jerome and her sisterhood. ! met him one
occasion when he had just returned from a
visit to Mt. Saint yincents. and ne expressed
himself In such terms of reverence that 1T is
impossible he could have used the language
attributed to him. We all knew his devotion
70 Shakespeare, his daily companion for years,
but he could never have given to this earthly
object the devotion due to our Divine Lord
He was never an irreverent man. The nearest
approach to it Irecall was when he CAME to say
goOd-by and to thank the IRteiLigeltcer for Sc
ries Of my able criticisms. which were written on
his performances by Judge Barnett (''Eras-
mus They were just and he acknowl-
edged their justice and thanked Judge
Barnett for them. When he was leav-
ing 1 asked where he would spend his
recreation, rs the theatrical season was
over. He said he had made no plans and
I suggested his going abroad. he was so fond
OF art. ''Oh, no, hate the sea. No one ever
went to sea willingly. The only time our Di-
vine Lord went to sea He got out and walked,
you remember" Even that was not irreverent,
for he spoke of Him not in the familiar and
improper manner so common, alas
In connection with that expression bv Mr..
Forrest recurs to me incident showing an
equal love for Shakespeare by Judge Barnett
one OF the best Shakespearean scholars / ever
knew. was requested by the editor of lead
ing journal in New York to interview the Judge
on the question of Bacon vs. Shakespeare
When it was under discussion and asked him
10 give me his views on that question he said
impatiently: No; will not discuss the ques-
ton even. i would soon undertake to de-
fend the authorship of The Sermon on the
Mount" How Forrest was misunderstood and
misrepresentedi / do not doubt he felt it
keenly. but would not seek to change the opin-
ion OF those who were guilty of these mlsrepre-
sensations and demonstrations. He had spells
Of the deepest dependency, and then he was
almost unaPproaehable.
A NIGHT WITH FORREST.
A night spent with him. with the late Col.
forney, gave me an insight into his hidden life.
which filed me with compassion and admira-
ton, too. It was during one of his long en-
fragments at Niblos. and we were spending
some days in New York and had dined together
on one of his ''of nights" He full of genial
ity and We discussed every theme almost and
on all Of them he was interesting. A poem by
Aldrich had just appeared and he recited 1t
With marvellous tenderness and pathos.
Good night! have to say good night to such host
OF peerless things:
Good night into that snowy hand. all Queenly with
Good night 70 fond. delicious eyes, Good night to
chestnut braids OF hair.
Good night unto that perfect mouth, with all its
sweetness nestled there.
These snowy hands detain me; then I'll have to
say good night again,
But there will come q time, my love- when IL
rsad our stars Alright,
will not inger on this porch with my adieus; but
now good night
feu wish that time were now1 and l; you do not
blush 70 wish il so.
You would have blushed yourself to death to own
as much year ago.
These snowy hands detain me; then I'll have to
say good night again
After talk upon these and other poems of
tenderness he recited one of Owen Meredith's.
he said. but 1 have not found it in the volume
Of poems before me.
-H0v many Joys 1 owe thes'" Come hither on
And If thoult count unfailins the green blades as
We pass.
Or me leaves that stir and tremble in the sweet
o. the rpples in the river or the sunbeams on its
breast
IN count the Joys 1 owe thee, my beautiful, my
best
sHow many thoughts I give thee.- Come sit
where waves run high,
And count the heavy pillows as they break on the
shore and die;
Or the pearls in the deep caverns; or the stars
in the milky zoae-
AMI III count the thoughts give thee nv beauti-
fui. my owni
His voice was never more musical: its tones
hnger In nv memory yet; but soon the light
which had so frightened US died out: he grew
Sad and gloomy and turned on us the somber
side Of his character, with which the public was
most familiar. The conversation took on the
same hue. He talked on the future, into which.
he said, he seldom pried. content to rest on the
mercy OF God. who had placed him here. He
then argued upon the irresponsibility of being
here. and said he did not believe anv human
being, If he could see all he had to suffer and
bear IN this world-the pains and Affections III
herent to human life-wouId willingly be born
and In tones of the deepest sadness said: IF
an angel from heaven. commissioned by our
Heavenly Father, came to me with the assur-
ance Of an eternity of bliss IL l would live over
again my blasted life and ali l have endured,
i would refuse the gift" He sunk into.
might say. his moody melancholy and We said
good night When We met at breakfast he was
cheerful and said when we eft him he read an
hour or two, though il was nearly daylight
when We separated. That night was TO me q
revelation of a life so little understood so mis-
judged, and for which but little sympathy
and charity were displayed.
AFTER HIS FIRST RETIREMENT.
Mr.. Forrest retired from the stage in the
very senith Of his fame and success and devoted
i've years to study. pursuing it in the most
systematic manner. He read frequently Twelve
hours day and sometimes even more, taking
required exercise In long walks and actually
training himself to endure the labor He re-
sarned 10 the stage IN 1858 and made his first
Appearance In Baltimore under the manage
nent Of Mr.. John T. Ford. at the Holiday
Street Theater, in Riehelaeu Col John W.
F0rney. Jonah ID. Hoover, John T. Ennis and
myself went over by invitation to see him in
that great character. There were some other
gentlemen IN the party whose nAmos
have escaped my defective memory. The
opening was an ovation. the house crowded
TO excess. A large number Of the audience we're
from Washington and in the next box to US sat
Howell Cobb, Jacob Thompson and other MEM
bsrs of Mr.. Buchanans cabinet We supped
With Mr.. Forrest that night at Guys. q pretty
large party, among whom ] recall an old friend
Bow gone and whose name comes up from the
wells OF memory, connected with the early
says OF the war and his imprisonment in Fort
Earren-Col George p. Kane. collector Of the
port marshal OF police, sheriff, &c.
Forrest was in the vein that night, and We
spent some hours flied with epioyment-en