New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-22
LONDON NOTES.
MIR. WHISTLER AND THECRlIlCS-MR LUCK
FROM THE CROSS BENCHES-AU.
THOR AND PUBLISHER-ENG-
LISH AS SHE is WROTE.


is collection of Titles and of Criticisms upon the
pictures denoted by the titles. These criticisms
are largely by the enemy, and of old date The
enemy, now for the most Part wishing TO be .
friend does not like to be reminded of his ancient
enmity, but Mr. Whistler is memorable He pre-
fixes as an ep9raph TO the whole collection an ex-
tract from the speech of the AttOrney-General Of
England at Westminster, November 10, 1873.
hope our Chicago friends will not think this meant
az a slur upon their champion. Sir Richard Web
ster who has undertaken To run the British section
at the Chicago Exhibition and make IL success
was not at that date AttOrney-General. He was
then Tubman and Posman in the Court Of En-
cheauer at Westminster. 1t was the year in which
he became Queens Council. The Attorney General
of that date was Sir John Holker; the occasion OF
his speech was the too famous Russian trial and
this is the extract:
Il do not know when so much amusement has
been afforded to the British public as by Mr..
Whstler's pictures"
Well, it is a long time ago. and the British pub
lie and perhaps British Attorneys-Gencra, have
made advances since then. The British Critic
has also made advances He does not now think
il correct to speak OF Mr. Whistler's "vulgarities
with regard 10 FORM or to warn him that " eo-
centrcity is not originality remark not ITSELF
Of striking originality. The most dogmatic OF all
the weekly reviews once described two OF his noe
turnes as "o one covered with sundry blue ana the
other with dirty black" II would be cruel to
name it, and more cruel to quote what 1t now says
MANY Of the unlucky dicta here reproduced are
from naners of no authority. The artist seems IN
have chosen them as so many expressions OF the
average opinion of the British Phistine of earlier
davs os no doubt they are 1t was then the fash.
ion 70 decry Mr. Whistler: il is now the fashion.
s;nce France has shown the way, to treat MIN
with inst respect The British Philistlne Is in tho
line of direct descent from the moutons de Panurge.
lie had no opinion OF his own then. He has none
now. He follows meekly where others lead' ana
accepts with docility the opinions supplied 70 MN
bv those whose business IL Is to supply opinions.
Here in this catalogue is record OF one SET AZ
Mr. Whstler's modesty will permit him. ne MAO
NOW TO collect and to embalm In some future co.a-
lorue the antidotes to the poisonous HUE sni.S
which supply amusement 10 the readers OIL hA'
present pamphlet
Good EXAMPLES of Mr. Lucy's Cross Bench'
.xo,Lod occur in his last Sundays article. Ills
custom is 10 take single incident OF sins'e
member of the House, and 80 deal WIN " .,
lin, TINT a pcture Of both Is sketchco' suu
of,en Of the House as well. His hero this week
"a Mr. Alexander Blame, Member for oou."
Armagh II there he a fault in the sKetcn' IL 10
that Mr.. Lucy assumes knowledge on 'ne pai'
Of his reader which all his readers may NOT n''e'
The origin Of Mr.. Blame is already lost IN on
scurity. Born about" 1883. says tne lh'niu"'n
and oImost always accurate bod. Was educated
~. Mo- christian BROTHERS, and commenced bust
noss "a working tailor. Mr. Lucy is content
r,;,L delicate illusions to Mr.. Blane's profession
- ,bis hind After a pause. he went on again,
rosnmino with professional skill the thread OF
h,s Discourse It would be hard 70 be neatef
than that
There are incidental touches on other greao
,ersons Mr. Iabouchere for one, whose frenzy
for economy is such as one sometimes sees ia a
man OF great wealth. The estimates ior 'ne
pov.I Palaces and for Marlborough House are
Mr.. Labouchere's happiest hunting grounds MI
Iabouchere. himself" says Mr.. Lucy, haa' al
IL were. personally gone over Marlborough house
and Buckingham Palace, tapping the drains. see
ing that the windows were properly glazed anu
that there had been no overflow In the "a@i-
rooms" Then Mr. Storey. who Is fair speci-
mon Of the professional Radical, had geniauy
observed that the Prince of Wales and the rest
- tho ROYAL Family were well able 10 pay for
tho maintenance Of their residences, and II was
.hohhv Of them not only 10 take their palaces
free but TO sponge upon the public TO keep them
in rcpar" Mr. Blame might he called IN 10 take
the measure Of Mr.. Storeys good manners or per-
haps need not he called in. Mr. Courtney, the very
able Chairman of Committees, is said TO resemole
Heaven inasmuch order is his hrst la"
Finnllv il is said Of an honorable member below
lie gangway that his voice and his gestures
are all TOO big for him, that they were made for
\ man at least six feet high, and were by some
strange freak of nature conferred upon him.
The average reader would like to he told VINO
this phenomenon is, but Mr.. Lucy understands
the art of provoking as well as of gratifying
curiosity
T. seems that the British author, especially hs
whom the British public will not buy, is loch-
inc eagerly 10 America as his Land OF Goshen
" Everybody says Mr.. Besant, now looks 10 wide
ponularity in America. Every American pub
Ishcr and most editors, adds this cool-hcaded
observer. are deluged with British offers But
Il will be discovered that il is not enough to he
= British author 10 command success: but that
one must also write what the American public
want. and that will he very largely done for
,bcm by their own authors 1t would be hard to
mack more sound sense in the same number OF
words.
Never. I suppose. will the author be induced
tn look after his own interests or never otherwise
than by lncessant Importantly 40 nc VIII hos
be his own friend somebody else must, ont OF
purc charity. befriend him. whether he will or no.
Mr. Bcsant knows the secret of repetition: thar
70 impress ANYTHING on the mind of the public,
or of the individuals who compose the public, IL
must he reiterated many times. Lowell said he
was only listened 20 on such subjects BY being
a bore Every incident is a fresh text for
missionary SO perscvcring as Mr. Besant. Mr..
Frederick Macmillans speech at the Book
sellers dinner is the latest Identity OF inter
ests' between author and publisher? Certainly.
SAWS Mr.. Besant. That is what We are always
for. And if these interests are
there must be just division OF them.
" At present things are constituted that the
publisher knows the share of interest which
goes TO the bookseller, but the bookseller does