A Sportsman 57 



constitutional with him against those he considered 

 his enemies, for real or fancied wrongs, and would go to 

 any extent to express, unworthy of the natural no- 

 bility of his caste. I had occasion to meet him a good 

 many times. 



Edwin Forrest's most intimate and ever-trusted 

 friend in whom he placed implicit faith and who 

 was worthy of it was James Oakes, of Boston, now 

 with Forrest gone away. He was a man among men, 

 and of most sterling qualities and as true as steel in 

 his friendship, which exceeded that of any man I 

 have ever known for devotion, and for befriending 

 those whom misfortunes had prostrated. I am famil- 

 iar with numerous instances. No matter what oc- 

 curred from poverty or disgrace to any friend of his, 

 he held to his unwavering friendship to the grave, 

 and would follow to the last rites of burial, and I 

 have known him to lay out the bodies of his dear 

 friends without aid from others. I felt great satis- 

 faction in his friendship, which I clung to through his 

 life, and which I now hold in pleasant memory. He 

 lived at the Tremont House, where I resided for a 

 number of years, and we were companions at the 

 dining-table, and of many pleasant evenings passed 

 in converse. 



Forrest made frequent visits from Philadelphia, his 

 home, to pass some days with Oakes, whom he so 

 often told me was his dearest friend on earth, and 

 whom he treasured beyond words. Mr. Oakes was 

 cultivated in his literary taste, and was acknowledged 

 as a forcible critic of dramatic works and dramatic 

 renditions. Forrest told me that Oakes, as his dearest 

 friend, was the severest critic on his acting of any he 



