Life of Edwin Forrest, the American Tragedian. Volume 1 (of 2)Alger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Life of Edwin Forrest, the American Tragedian. Volume 1 (of 2)
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Forrest, Edwin, 1806-1872
Here he turns away with a slight convulsive movement mightily held
down, and Sarnem exclaims, "Mark, he weeps!" The whole audience weep
with him, too; as well they may, for the concentration of affecting
circumstances in the scene forms one of the masterpieces of dramatic
art. And Forrest played it in every minute particular with an intensity
of nature and a closeness of truth effective to all, but agonizing to
the sympathetic. His last special stroke of art was the natural yet
cunningly-prepared contrast between the extreme nervous anxiety and
agitation that marked his demeanor through all the preliminary stages
of the fearful trial-shot for life and liberty, and his final calmness.
Until the apple was on the head of his kneeling boy, and he had taken
his position, he was all perturbation and misgiving. Then this spirit
seemed to pass out of him with an irresolute shudder, and instantly
he confirmed himself into an amazing steadiness. Every limb braced as
marble, and as motionless, he stood, like a sculptured archer that
looked life yet neither breathed nor stirred. The arrow flies, the boy
bounds forward unhurt, with the transfixed apple in his hand. Tell
then slays Gesler, and, dilating above the prostrated Austrian banner,
amidst universal exultation both on and off the stage, closes the play
with the shouted words,--
"To arms! and let no sword be sheathed
Until our land, from cliff to lake, is free!
Free as our torrents are that leap our rocks,
Or as our peaks that wear their caps of snow
In very presence of the regal sun!"
DAMON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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