The morning call., 1892-07-24
BY THE way.
Being a RamblGr'S Observations on Things
in General.
O,d Masters and Modern Sales-stsnley for
Parliament - Advertising on the
sueZ Canal
Written for THE MORNING CALL.


at recent sale in London-a sale of pic
lures at ChTiste's-a number of the old
masters went to perdition in lamentable
manner for those who treasure their produc-
tions The mahogany school is being Keel
hauled and peTmanency in values Is qulte
upset by the sport of BUYERS. An aneuoh
early in the season at Christie's is said to
determine many things iu art and when
Lord Dudley's collection of ancient masters
was put on the market here were sundry
revelations for connoisseurs The lack OF in-
terest in the sale is said to have been caused
by the general election Be this as it may,
there was a falling off in appreciation for
number of great men. Pictures by a. Os-
tade Murillo. Giorgione and Salvador Rosa
went down by The run. but other works
sold at higher prices, including some by
Raphael. Fillippi, Lippi and TintOretti.
Recently there have been some revelations
also as to the value of modern paintings.
Even Turner has had to climb down from
the eminence on which kusEIn has placed
him. Ruskln went too far lH his praise OF
this truly great painter and now there is
reaction againSth his Judgment. In the main,
however. those who possess Turner's. espe-
cially in water color, may renan nappy In
their treasures.
Why Lord Dudley should have brought
his ancient masters TO auction is not appar-
ent BY all accounts he is very wealthy
man. with great estates, heavy rentTOlls
and an immense income from collierles in
Staffordshire. The late Lord Dudley was
so very wealthy-peThaps with steady,
unfiuctuating income Of $1,000, 600 year
that he Is said to have entertained himself
with an opera performed, sung and inStTu-
mented rigHt in front OF himself as sole
audience. This 1t may be said, was very
selfish and curmudgeonish, but what IS the
world of wealth when 1t wants TO dlStin-
CUish itSClf2 No doubt Lord Dudley paid
the musicians who ent6Ttajne d him hand
somely. and if La applauded anything be
sure the artI5teS absorbed the credit at Its
proper value. But what could have been
Tie motive of the new Lord Dudley IN part
iug with his gallery of ancients in painting?
He cannot have been hard up for money.
Could his taste have reV0lted against the
style OF the masters? Or has he no taste?
It is not an uncommon thing to fnd the
latrcan families of England disposing of
pictures and books. Not long ago the Duke
Of Marlborough stripped The walls OF Bien-
helm of a number Of fine pictures, and the
National Gallery of London is the richer
thereby in the possession of what is known
rs the Blenhem MadOnna-a Raphael-for
which the enormous price or $4,000 was
paid Il Is undoubtedly grand picture IN
the perfection OF It's technique and its mar
Velous freshness CT preservation; but on
the whole il would have been a good deal
better 10 have invested the money in mod
eTn works, with the desire TO encourage
modern art. In the book line there are
always some great Libraries coming into the
market through family deeadence. Earl
Spencer IS among the recent sacrifices. II
Is especially rich il bibles, the frs exam
pies Of the art of printing. for which there
is always a very keen demand The mania
for old books IS profitable 10 encourage in
the business sense.
Captain Borup, our military attache in
France, has been promptly recalled. and is
10 doubt enjoying the privileges Of too
jealous services on behalf OF his country
His error lay 10 securing too much iBfOrma-
tion for his own Government, ana there was
just little suspicion that he might have
dabbled in transactions of information re-
falling for the benefit Of other countries
Nothing Of this kind is, however. proved,
and so Captain BOrup returns to the United
States without any slur on his character A
military attache IS bound to fud out all he
can about the military and naval prepara-
tlOrs 0t the country TO which he Is accTed-
tied. Il may not be accepted as propTiety,
but little secret service money iD the Oh
talning CT information is not only allow
able but c0mmendable. In fact, every
country protesting 10 have secrets has nOne
The secrets leak out in short time. Ia the
whole history Of Invention or Industry
hardly any secrets have been kept invio-
late.
Perhaps the most amusing incident Of the
English elections has been the rejection of
Mr.. Stanley for North Lambeth. Mr.. STAN
ley presented himself to the constituency
as man who should be accepted forthwith
But unfortunately for Mr.. Stanley he had a
record in Africa altogether incompatible
with bottoms Of civilization. Several Of the
London newspapers went back into his own
narrative Of how he handled the natives
during bis explorations. and il is apparent
tnat repeater rifles, as against stone throw
ing or bows and arrows, have a great ad-
vantage in the mastery. Poor Stanley could
not deny the authentic atrocities in his own
WRITING, and notwithstanding tie amia-
bic solicitations Of his good wife. an artist
Of high standing. the explorer went 10 the
wall when the poll was counted.
Stanley came out unenviably in the mat
Ter of naturalization. His name is not
Stanley at all He is a Welshman with
another name. The name he bears comes
from LOuisianian, who was kind to him in
the years of pupilage. But Stanley has
shown very commercial sense of honor in
bringing cut his various books Of journal
istic travel under the United States laws.
lie has lost not1 cent by prudence in avail
ing himself of the rights of literary prop
efty. BY protesting himself a WcIshmaD
lie, OF course, sacrifices some OF the rights
he might enjoy as an American. But per-
haps IN his career that is very little TO ad-
vance IN his book-writiDg capacities. With
Ei the fuss made about this man lie has
added exceedingly little to the world s
knowledge about persons or about the
earth lie is simply a journalistic scribe.
win taste IJr extravaganza of expression
and IL so happens he has been employed by
Two or three papers that could afford to pay
Tor his adjectlyes literally.
When Stanley entered tile matrimonial
state he took to him heIpmate IS no had
made her maine famous in art as Dorothy
Tenant All the world went 10 his wed
ding and it was supposed that any plum
Stanley asked for would fall into his mouth
Blu! the electors Of North Lambeth were mol
easily appeased by the cauddature Of :
man who had shot down negroes in Africa
as II they were gallButs. Some Of tht
papers III TACT took the opportunity Of quot
ing from Stanley's own writings how he
had behaved toward the natives Of tn.
tracts of Africa which he had trayersed
One paper did more than this. Ii resur
rected picture by Mrs. Stanley, who has
great iondDess for children, and represented
Stanley a baby In the arms of A nurse
carrying him to some creche Of safety. AS
the election turned out, Stanley's creche Of
aafety Is bis own home of domestic felicity
ana perhaps he had better remain there
He Is not an ideal statesman when con.
sidered with his record Of the shotgun. He
NSa ~