New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-10
NOTES FROM LONDON.
OF, ,r1Ne MOSTLY TO ART OF VARIOUS
KINDS.


go as a protectionist, for nothing Is oe'ter
reloco 90 hiring the doctrine Of protection INTO
caio" .hor ~ apply il falsely. The object OF
eou'o io, - 20 foster and protect American indus
r. Aft may be considered, If you CHOOSE, an IN
50 but il will not be fostered OF protected by
ecIusion of foreign pictures American artists
80 themselves. / believe, OF this opinion 1hey
-, very well that taste for art can only be Gull
.;,,o+ed nv an extensive acquaintance with works
NJ art and generally speaking, with WORKS OF al
,a,onglng to school of which the fame is estab-
,sSed The more good foreign pictures there are in
America the more general will be that desire for
GOOD pictures. whether American foreign. on
which the American artist must depend for his own
market
The same argument is good with reference to the
state OF art education among the people; but THIS
which Is nv second for rejoicing. few deny,
and will not dwell on it. There arc however, pa
triots IN Texas and Arkansas who insist that Amer
lea ought to have art Of her own an original art
n patriotic art, wholly independent OF European III
anencns and strictly based on the principles OF the
Constitution Of the United States Of America
Possibly: but the Texas patriot ought to remember
that in order 70 reject the base influences of Europe
he must first know what they are. If an American
penius is TO produce a new order OF architecture ne
will have to be sure that he is not inventng over
again an old one II he is TO surpass even the MOI
ern European painter. he only 10 IL by hrst GET
ting abreast of him and how is he to know whether
be is the equal of man whose WORK ne mas never
seen There must BE- a standard. 1t is idle to talk
of landscape more poetic than CoroSs or more SIN
cere than MiIlet's until yon have studied both'
Mr.. c. Robinson's language about the state OF
American art, which mentioned briefly the other
day is perhaps needessly strong, and yet VIII 10
Americans no harm to take note o. 1t, and to con-
slider how much truth there rs in it, or under It,
Mr. T. c. Robinson is a great authority. Writing to
The Times about the coming sale Of tho FOntalne
Collection of enamels. majOhca and faence' he Pc
lures to himself the sale-room OF Messrs CHRISTIE
Manson & Woods in King-st., crowded with the
eager amateurs and dealers OF all Europe FroOaoIy
America also will join in the hot contention audS
he off indeed the short-sighted fiscal regulations
of that country do not close the door TO the nnuX
OF that wealth of which she has most need-Amer-
;ca voung and so rich and great, bat who dellber-
atelv shuts out works of art and sends us dyna-
mite" Mr. Robinson writes IN the hope OF inducing
the English Government to loosen the national
purse strings, as he says, with less niggard hahd
than heretofore for the enrichment OF the puOlic
museums This, he adds is why cite America
swho. when 1T last she does open her eyes TO the
fact that with her greatness she IS but pauper
In art will infsllibly compete with an energy De-
yond the peddling efforts Of European Govern
mentsh
81 America with all her greatness, but pauper in
ar,r The words are not fatteriDg to US, but are
they trueP Is Mr.. J. c. Robinson, with all his I'M
mense knowledge of AIT in Europe equally Verseu
in the condition of art in America n he Is II MS
words are true, we are indeed but paupers IN aIt
how long shall we he content to remain 50! VI
when. IN Mr. sRobinson's language. shall we open
our eyes to the fact that We are, and begin that
oonnetitiOu which is to make the Efforts Of Europe
.ee,n peddling9 1t is possible enough that Mr.
Robinson knows little of the private collections in
Nev--Yorll and Baltimore and elsewhere, but would
II alter his verdict if he did Tor II We throw III the
Mctrouolitan Museum alsOf American private col
lec+ions are very rich in modern FrcHch art Du1 II
what else are they richf Where IS our Louvre
How many masterpieces OF art earlier thlu 1iS o'"-
+urv are there in the United States9 Prussia was
a. poor. or almost as poor as America WITHIN a
Dariod that includes all American history. but inc
Rorlin Museum is to-day respectable one ana
Prussia is among the most Formidable competitors
in the Furopean market whenever great picture Is
cold Prussia is poor and America Is rich YET
America was not rich enough TO by inc ASAoulu-
ham MSS.-to take fresh Observation-Disclosures
Prussia did not think herself too poor 10 ACQUIRE
The Committee of Ways and Means has made
GOOD beginning. It would DO better to propose not
&c rainction but the abolition of duties on works
% mr. Aud the Committee which should pro
noe a vote Of money to enable the Government oil
tba United States to enter the European held as
competitor for art treasures, would do best Oh al
Nv y !. Byron. whose death is regretted by
= sr:ords will probably be remembered as the
IL, of - Our Bows He has other titles 10
.t,,oors fame but they viii hardly prove last
-, unless possibly It be urged for him mat IA an
ag Of bad buresgues ho wrote one Of tue ie'SV '"'
sIittIe Doctor Faust" ! am half inclined 70
s+ri,.e ont even that qualified praise OF traVes'Y
uoon great work for the spirit u fIeS ei'A0o '0
80 ,Lincs deserves nothing but condemnation
MI Bvron's caricature, however was al Io''S1 Il
Cd cop11 be seen without WEAKNESS; when IS
~ Ian can be said of Mr.. Burnands 6urlesques'
81, 80 witty perversions and perverseness as tHcy
ore Our Bows will live in theatrical memories
for TWO reasons IL ran greater numoer VI coii-
secntiye nights than any other piece ana u Iausiu
dro,oati,ts a lesson IN dealing with managers MI
R,,ro,'s niece made the fortune OF theatre lhe
vaudeville and of its two licensees MI lhorne anu
Mr.. David James whose profits were reputeo 10 &c
not lass than 500 900 from this single play WHO
A. p,.rons share did not come one-tenth Of this
,r,,o ,os,lt was that Mr. Byron. in committing
other pieces to managers. used 10 supuIa'o ioI
FOUND suin down tit sometimes as mnch Is
So ooo, plus percentage on the receipts
Mr. w : Gilbert. who passes tor shre"U man
nj business has improved on air Byron ana MAKES
HI nieces nav him al a rate heretofore unknown 10
me dramatic author in England. MY IIiDerH I'll
Arthur Sullivan and Mr.. UOyley Carte, owner o.
the SAVOY and other theatres are supposed Io "l'
o,,.l shares the proceeds of those operas to th'
,-oI,.r.,, Of which they have jointly devoted
trS,..o,,., for some years past. hesitate TO SAY
ybat the amount of income thus distributed IS ou
INV mention that common report puts 1t at owe
5000 900. Mr. Gnberts contract with MISS Mar.
Anderson may serve an instance OF ms sits 10
driving a bargain. During the run oil Ssui"lio