Morning journal and courier., 1892-06-03

paseeiieel What does it all meant Must we throw away the ideas of beauty and fitness we have been forming all our lives. and which have been our supreme ioy and never falling consolationi Whistler. Burue Jones and the English idealisfs are bad enough at times. But they generally keep themselves within bounds which can be measures. But these French lunatics have thrown everything to the winds and are sailing away no one knows where, like CT ratio comets.
 These letters seem to be contracting the very bad habit of starting topics better suited to magazines or lectures; so no more about the new French impressionists One newspaper. in an spologetic way, stated that there were at least three pic lures in the old "Salon" which could not fail to arrest and entrance the most care less beholder. The three are far above the average of the exhibition. But each re- quires an explanation, while c true work of art requires none. One of the three is portrait by Bonnat of an old man with long. impaired, dirty and conspicuous nsils; fat. strong. cynical, fisbby face, 6 big head and a bigger belly. When you turn to the catalogue and find that you are looking at portrait of Renan; then, and not till then, is your interest aroused You are disappointed; as you may have supposed that RenAn was 6 man of convic- tions- This is a cynic without convictions and without civil moral force. Christian- ity has nothing to fear from the assaults of such 6 person. Why should Bonnst have put in the long, unpAred and dirty nailsf In such prominence to ugly detail is there not to be found the beginning, and perhaps, too, the excuse. of the new schooli The one true and everlasting guide of art is beauty.
 The second picture represents fortress from which is issuing lot of soldiers who have evidently had a very hard time of 1t. They are passing between two rows of very well dressed officers and men who seem 10 be greeting them with emotions, which turn you to the catalogue for explanation. This tells you that the bedraggled party is lot of Frenchmen who, against over whelming odds, have been heroically de- lending the aforesaid fortress, and that the well dressed chaps are Austrians, the be- siegers, who, by their antics. are testify ing to their conquered foes heroism. The catalogue also tells you that the artist is Detaille. Then you understand. It is an- other of Detaille's artistic slaps at the Prussians. IL is as much as to say: "You brutes. Compare your conduct during the late war with the superb conduct of the Austrians during former war; then
 
 The third picture is grand work of art, worth all the rest of the exhibition put to- gether, and needing but little, if any, ex- plsuation. In large studio is reclining e sculptor, who, tired, oppressed or dying, has thrown himself back or has fallen; while the instruments of his art slip from his hands. All the air about him is filled with the spirits of the groups which made him famous. From two of then two fig datanh fharn eaIyao and haeop,a lx- with life as they approach him. One kiss es his brow. One drops golden leaves from the wreath he gave her. The scene is grsndly conceived; grandly composed and grandly executed. It would apply at any time to any sculptor. But you recog- nize the groups as Carpeaux, and yo1 know that Carpeaux is dead. This makes the scene quite sad and still more impres- sive.
 In the presence of true work of art you feel as if the incident, or the charac- ter, could not possibly be so we'll repre- sented in any other art. It is most com forting to know that there is at least one true painter still alive, and that the art is not entirely dead. Albert MAignan has done well before; but nsver before has he shown such easy mastery of his art in the unfolding of noble thoughts and gentle faucies.
 It is getting late. It is long past 8 we'll ordered New Havener's bed time. There is still packing to be done, for people with small purses must hurry away from Paris as soon as may be. Think of one dollar for one small trout and eighty cents for bit of asparagus. The Grand Hotel publishes 8 dolorous statement of 6 loss of over fifty thousand dollars since Janu- ary. If the Grand and other hotels would stop extortion Americans would stay. As it is they move away elsewhere, where there are still ''quids" for their tquos."
 PERlANDER.