New-York tribune., 1877-06-16
PORTRAITS AND LIKENESSEs.

MR. o'DONOVAN PEPIIKs TO &C. CART MUST
HAVE SOMETHING TO EMPRESS.
10 the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: ] was not little surprised, upon read
Ing your correspondent &C. C's" last letter TO The
TRIBUNE. to find that had brought ridicule the
cause" had espouscdsurprised for tho reason that
thc first reading Of his letteIs had not impressed me
with the idea that any cause he'd beer favored with his
advocacy and nOw after having again read his letters
with much care still al loss to know the exact
reason of them So interesting. indeed from "a certain
point OF view, and original are the letters IN question,
that il is difficult to 20 beyond their peculiar merits TO
the intention Of their writer wlO it seems to me- has
an eenng love Of writing for writings sake and
through too great abandonment Of this mCaSuiablY
oomnenabc quality loses sight OF motive ana consist
ency and IN the eTvor OF production twists and nYent6
facts with f.cile freedom which might otherwise be
rcprcheusDlc
drawing from the statements of your correspondent
the csBcl lsons to which they irresstibly lead has
made him ridiculous before the public the fault must
OF necessity have been with him, while IT, on the other
hand my apprehension reached short of the subtle ir
port OF his argument, the vindc1tiOn Of him. and lis
cause" whatever that may be- is in the mpoency oi
my attempted rideule. | free TO confess iuy III
ability 10 go behind the face Of your cerrespondents
statements and drag 70 light ihelr hidden neangi ahe
luust in Isl upOn that, the writer II net 10 the
dplomatist lassaSe IS meant 70 eXpTcss hot conc a.
thoughts That condition OF mental utuhihe Nhlo'j
leaves one who uses language az M abs oi
insist upon having meant another aud allows ln 10 a-
peal from ms lack Of logic 10 thc logic OF cvtnd" Il
not calculated 10 inspire any great respect for hls opH-
sion otherwise would have bgen greatly disturbed by
your spCndents assertion thS neither c portraits
hy Titan Raphael In any way depend, ior mo great
regard in which they have bccn held Tor Iludicus
OF years upon their tTutifuncSs portraits. For such
an admission would lead into an lneXticabc maze
concerning art generally, like unto lhat m when your
correspondent is wandering, without apparent nope OF
deiy0raDce.
ia portrait depends not upon being portrait but
IL y ftar
would wo have arc every kind whatsoever divorced
from nature and amcnae 10 other standards " cli
ciSm han the responsible yagarieS, OF such ndneenty
trained persons ~ your correspondent &C. c. IAat
there were many portraits OF Queen Elizabeth ~ ate
London exhibition between which were grca' dS-
crcpaucics- not at all surprising nor does argue
that these Dor nut al III some sense or Olhf
valuable az srch. painter paint no more than lac
can see, asid most profoundly ana cohihc-
hesvey having pIOpOrtiOuaic mastery OF expression.
will paint the best portraits; but those OF more liteu
vision seeking earnestly thO sruh and not being moved
10 make merely picture with 80 indefinite Al
idea Of what that means &C. C." 0bNi-
ously has VIII not fail 70 mako record OF
something worth preserving. Ia art as IN all other
modes or expression, must hTst OF al have some
tiinr to eNpss ana doug this The whole Of
his nature, II will OF ctssty have always its place
apart Had &C g." known this, and taken 1t 20 heart.
his letters TIE TRIBUNE would Eot have beeb OScn 20
riicule and hc tries very hard now 20 mend h
violated nature he may feel when he is called 20 resi-
from his lbOIs here that he mas done some WORK worthy
q man WM II. O'IOSOvAN.
Studio Building No. 81 West Tenmst, June l3, 1877.