The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-08

The settlement which has been reached
in the Hopkins will case is accompanied
with vague announcement that the Hop
kins mansion on Mob Hill may be turned
into museum for the elevation and enlght-
eminent OF the masses. A good purpose,
truly. If the contents OF the museum are
worth preserving. Mere bric-a- brac selected
at haphazard without taste or knowledge
would only mislead public taste and soon
would cease to have any interest. The
Hopkins house could be made to rival the
Hotel Cluny in Paris ii Europe were thor
oughly ransacked for specimens; but that
is task which could not be performed in
year or two. Ii is not desirable, indeed, 10
complete an artistic collection hurriedly
merely for the sake of seeing space occu-
pied. Good collections of this kind
only grow slowly. Much more than
tapestry. furniture. pottery, wood-carv-
ing and metal-w0rk does San Fran
cisco need a high-class gallery Of the
fiue arts. We have no gallery of any de-
scriptlon by which pablic taste can be
formed and guided The public are proba-
bly, apatnetic and Indifferent on the subject.
but artists would rejoice TO see gallery of
good paintings, as a stimulus to themselves
and an edueatlve influence eleyating the
multitude. The old masters could only be
represented by copies, and these not very
costly, and high-class works of the mod
ems, If requiring greater outlay. should be
added with lujlelouS seiective care. for
somehow much that Is priced at the moment
becomes meretriciouS in after years. Were
the gallery in existence some of our citizens
would. no doubt, make presents of pictures.
and so the collection might grow into one of
magnitude and great value.
The artists of San Francisco have always
had an uncertain time of il, but never were
they so respondent as at present. House
hat
for they at least have daily wage, whereas
the easel artist whips his imagination and
plies his technical skill in almost blank
despair. Local pictures somehow hang
long on the dealers walls. and are very
often returned to the artist with bill for
fgments. brushes ana frames. Paintings
by 19rel On artists may find a sale. The
chiet recommendation Is, perhaps. that they
are forei On works and must be excellent. OF
they would not have come such long dis
tanee. That however, is not safe cr-
terioD. The dealer who makes the round
Of the Partisan or London studios under
stands tie art OF buying snowy effects for
trttlng sums and magnifying their quail
ties afterward. n number OF years
ago, when the stock brokerS were in
the heyday of prosperity, few
artists commanded prices that would
tempt a GeTome or Leighton. From
$4,000 TO SIS, coo was heard of as a
was most generous support Of the landscape
school on the big scale of canvas dimensions
then in vogue. For tile sake of the artists
fame and the purchasers cOnten tmenf, IL
may be hoped that II again placed in the
dealers hands these chef d e uyIes of the
California school viii realize yet higher
prices Those halcyon days are gone, and
not boom in real estate can bring them
back. Most people who live in fine houses
are cOntented with few etchiDgS or en-
pai-
carpets, fantastic furniture and bric-a-brac
quite sufficient for the development Of the
esthetc soul. There is one refuge for a
good artist-he may teach and manufacture
pupils for living.
The Boring Sea controversy provides poll
ticians al least with the pastime in which
they so much delight whenever ii is desirable
to arouse the country TO an exalted feeling
of patriotism. Though Lord SalisDury's
discOurteous attitude on the question of
continuing the understanding of last year
in regard 10 seal-pOaching. they have an
opportunity 10 wiring the British lions tail.
Any act OF England that savOrs of injustice
excites deep-seated resentment on this
side of the Atlantic not easily allayed. The
conduct Of England at this moment is the
more lneXpiieabie from the fact that the
main issues are about to be decided by arbi-
tration. Eventually, we presume common
sense will prevail. Pressure will be
brought to bear In Parliament 10
prevent any risk of the situation becoming
more embittered. II would be culpabie
folly ON the part of Great Britain to precipi-
tate quarrel just on the eve of a definite
settlement On our part we must be pre-
pared to maintain cur rights as they are
now claimed 10 exist, but very little sweet
reasonabeness should surely bridge over
the difficulty that threatens Lord Salisbury
is given to bullying, but is deficient in the
courage tina. stays. and unless he is in q
tiercer bellicose mood than usual he will
modify his attitude and consent to some
harmonious arrangement The fur seal,
like the keys OF the holy places in Jeru-
salem. will have much TO answer for if two
great nations come 10 ioggerheads about the
methods of its capture. The odd thing is
that both countries have a share in the
industry. All the pe.ts have to 90 TO Eng
land Or Germany for the purpose of being
dyed. As duty Is imposed upon the fur
when it is returned American Indies have
to pay considerably enhanced price for
their Sacqucs.