Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . family to themother, a German woman of humble birth but offine mental endowments, who developed qualities ofhardihood that were reproduced in her gifted was educated at the common schools inPhiladelphia, and early evinced a taste for thetheatre. Kean was at that time in the meridian ofhis fitful career; Conway, Cooper, and the elder Booth wereplaying underthe manage-ment of Woodand Warren,both actors ofgreat at-tendance atthe perform-ances of theseartists firedForrests am-bition andaroused his en-thusiasm forthe dramaticpro
Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . family to themother, a German woman of humble birth but offine mental endowments, who developed qualities ofhardihood that were reproduced in her gifted was educated at the common schools inPhiladelphia, and early evinced a taste for thetheatre. Kean was at that time in the meridian ofhis fitful career; Conway, Cooper, and the elder Booth wereplaying underthe manage-ment of Woodand Warren,both actors ofgreat at-tendance atthe perform-ances of theseartists firedForrests am-bition andaroused his en-thusiasm forthe dramaticprofession, tothe deep griefof his piousmother. Atan early agehe had givenpain to his pa-rents by tak-ing an humble part in a dramatic to withstand the attractions of the myste-rious calling, he, in 1820, made his first regular ap-pearance on the stage as Douglas in John Homestragedy of that name. His success was youth, his robust and manly physique, his clear,resonant voice, his fair and handsome face, won the. great audience at once. He then began the pro-fessional career that was as severe in its hardshipsas it was brilliant in its results. The theatres ofNew York and Philadelphia were already crowdedwith trained and successful actors; Forrest there-fore set out at once for the south and west. Histour through a rough country, with the inconve-niences of long distances, the necessity of present-ing his plays in rude halls, an insufficient support,and poor scenery, was not altogether successful;but the discipline to mind and body was felt inall his subsequent career. After a few years ofthis hard novitiate he emerged once more into thescenes where his later glories were to November, 1826, he made his first metropoli-tan experiment as Othello at the old Bowery the-atre, and gained an instant success. The manage-ment employed him at a salary far below hisworth, and he was at once offered increased pay-ment at another theatre ; but he r
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