New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-10

and il he docs, unless nc IS Il very RhadGman-
thus he cannot be IN honest man. The artist
who begs w 20 visit his stGdiU and praise MS
latest picture, - does be suppose that We
lave nothing better 10 do than 10 adycT-
tisc him Whom his work is on public
exhibition we shall go to sec il, but we
shall so in The interest of The public and
not 20 please TIE painter; and IN the
meantime if he wants I" D notice. he ear TIite
it himself and have IL printed in tie adyertis-
ing columns OF IHE TRIBUNE for so much
Inc The artists who united little While ago
in recommending us to employ certain
worthy and accomplished gcntlcmal rs art
critic for this paper, probably lid not koo"
that they were committing gross improperly,
but almost everybody else is conscious Of it.
The publishers who send us ctIlogistic reviews
of their books, and expect Us to print them,
probably forget that in courts OF justice II -
not usual for the prisoners counsel to Wliie
the charge from the bench; and when they
urge, as they often do, that the tone Of
criticism ought to depend in n greater or
less degree upon the liberality of the adver-
tising they are perhaps unconscious that they
are virtually offering tho judge pecuniary com
pensaion for a ruling in their favor. The
concert singer who comes here from distant
city, bringing some beautiful encomiums from
admiIing friends, is sadly disappointed IL NE
TRIBUNE refuses TO print them in advance Oh
her appearance The agent Of an unknown per
former, who asked us confdentially the other
day how he could secure the help of the press,
was amazed when he was told that he could
III han typ
assured him that preliminary pulls" could
not be obtained for money, and it was
not the business of the critic to help
in drumming up an audience. Iheat-
rical agents who vcx the editorial patience
with entreaties for-"just a few lines to call
attention to the advertisement" woHy
us with Offers of free tickets; and, worst ~
all, the French prima donna, who paveS the
way for her debut with noOn-day breakfast
TO the press, or a petit soaper, at which crltl-
clam is to be corrupted in advance with
caiolery and champagne, - these are guilty
of outrages upon propriety and common sense
which are not resented only because they have
become so common that their enormIty Is
overlooked. What would be thought OF u
prisoner on trial who should ask the judge to
dinnerf
II il unfortunately true that there are critics
who tolerate corrupt proposals, and accept dis
honorable civilitics, just as there are news
papers with no principle except mOney-getting;
but such critics are not found IN the front
ranks of journalism; they make their own
reputation, find their own level. gather Their
dirty dollars, and exercise no more influence
upon art than the auctioneer or the bi!l-poster.
We have nothing to say of this class OF men
ot present; our business is rather with the au-
thors. actors. and artists of all kinds who re-
fnse TO see that the favor of an honest critic
ia neither to be begged with soft words, nor
bought with bottle of wine, nor conclllated
with costly advertisement; that newspaper
Offices arc not aSylums for the relief or the
INDECENT and undeserving; and that no gentle
man accepts hospitality and then sits down to
write a cold and strictly just analysis of bis
entertainers work. Perhaps it is an uncour-
teous thing to say,--but public exhibitors and
performers of all sorts, and their agents and
managers, when they visit an editors office
generally come on impertinent errands. Atter
their books, their pictures, their acting, their
music have been fully judged and pronounced
upon, let them be as civil to the journalist as
they please; but while waiting for the verdict
they ought in delicacy to keep aloof.
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