The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09
NOBODY SATISFIED.

The Times says editorially Neither party can be
content TO sit under the verdict it stands. The
Twelve mea in the box accept the substance OF Mr..
Ruskns criticism. though they think he ought
to have published It. As the injury inflicted upon
Mr.. Whistler is in their opinion nominal. it must fol-
low thss they think Mr. Ruskin's estimate of his pic
lures very near the truth. From this point of
view it would really have been better for the
plaintiff IL the verdict had been given against him.
Every one knows Mr.. Ruskin's strength and his
weakness his surerlative expressions Of admiration
of what he likes matched only by his unqualified
demnation of what he dislikes. Mr.. Iuskin has
never written anything in the way Of notes pic
lures whether at exhibition At the Academy
the Grosvenor Gallery in . gallery Of the old
masters. without INDUCING in strong praise and
strong blame. What scorn he has poured on the
Dutch painters! How he has ridculed their
landscapes and their seascspes! What has he
not said OF Caude's trees and foliage! With
what terrible severity has he analysed the
motives OF Salvators work, We have all read these
diztribes ard taken them for what they worth.
They were the effusions OF an impetuous and imper
feet perhaps telling the whole
truth because not III the nature OF the author
m ate in every aspect of the truth but they ALWAYS
told all the truth the writer conceived il. Such
his criticisms have been their value will be acknow
edged by every one whose own Judgment has not
world would have lost something II they had never
appeared the plea of public utility be adj
vunced in favor of his criticism Of Mr.. Whistlers
works?
Those who know the whole range OF Mr. whisters
works" continues the Times, Twill ut admit that
he is a.man with some gifts Of real genius. He
rst recognized etcher and hts watersdc studies
OF the Thames are full of character and Of power.
But he has also admirable sense OF colors and
of lght-a feeling for color that almost amounts
to inspiration. II is now some years since this gift
was revealed In few pictures, and II has gradually
been developed until everything else has been
sacrificed 10 IL. He was never remarkable in
form, except by way OF deficiency. In the picture
of the six Marks he confessed his knship with
the artists Of China and Japan who have noble
ignorance of drawing and perspective, but whose
exquisite hsrmonfcs Of color the despair OF the
Western world. Something of the same fascination
appeared in the little Girl in White There
was, however. some labor. some suggestion of
form and some effort 20 represent il in these
earlier works. In those OF later years this
has disappeared MT; Whistler explained in his
he worked. He knocks ~ 'nocturnc in black and
gold in couple of days. The picture is painted
one day and finished the next and IL 40 guineas
asked 1t this is not for two days work. because
the knowledge gained in lifetime was the founda-
ton OF the work OF two days The result has charms
OF its but IL can scarcely be called picture in
the in which that word Is ordinarily used The
witnesses for the defence freely allowed the singular
merits 81 Mr.. Whister's productions ~ prescntmcns
color lint they denied that there form study
composition in any of them. AZ one witness said.
Mr. Whistler had not fulfilled his early promise he
cau-c instead II adding 70 the gifts OF his nature the
skill and power that come Of thought supplemented
by labor and labor sustained by thought, he had
mastered. This would probably be accepted ~ a fair
representation Of the truth by everybody, and it
should be compared with the language employed by
Mr.. Rutkin. n this Is done, IL may be doubted
whether Mr.. Ruskin's words anything more than
n translation into his own dialect OF what Mr. Whist
ler's friends would be ready 20 acknowledge"
MUSICAL rATSrIsG.
with regard 10 Mr.. wlisscrs strange nomenca~
ture, the Standard points out that people have not
yet grown accustomed 10 hearing pictures spoken OF
~ .narinonics,' arrangements. synphOnies and
snoeturncs aud painter who CLASHES his works III
peculiar manner - ut any rate sure of attracting
attention. Every one knows that there are certain
expressions i'm common use, nf which the word
tone IL perhaps the most obvious example,
which arc common 10 both arts, aud MIR. Rus
kin himself would probably be the last person
To- ignore the connection which exists between them.
writer VINO speaks Mr. Ruskin does in his Seven
Lamps ~ Architecture, Of "a sympathy with the ef-
fort and trouble of human life. rs distinctly per-
ceivcd in the gloom and mystery Of form. ia the
melancholy tones Of sound. IL not lixcly " quarrel
unnecessarily with painter because the latter
chooses 10 call Of his productions y nocturne
And, besides, IL II not correct to speak or charm
ing passage In picture ~ In an oy'rturef
Mr. Huskin IL enthusiast and his criticism
IL not always free from the faults 10 which
that temper of mind IL prone writer, ior
example. who declares. Mr.. Euskin has done, that
there never fragrant impairment folly
than the smallest portion OF ornament in anything
concerned with railroads or near them, IL certainly
not likely. when cctsuring that 81 which be dssi-
proves, To er7 on the sIuc ~ moderation. But no
uispassionate person viii deny that IN his cefisure ~
Mr. VIII stlcr Mr. Rnskin erred the side If excess.
"a l. difscult 60 suggest what meaning the word
coxcomb be intended to convey that Is not per.
scnal, aud therefore Questionable