New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-18

of genius: only the genius must be real ana inc
confidence Ike wisdom justified Of her chlIdreh'
that is by the produced and completed WORKS ol
the Justly confident artist. He was an ideaiiSt
who knew, how to give to idcasm the hril
consistency without which art remains httie
more than an inspiration. He had Industry ana
sbrunk from no toll. His patience never Wore
out. There never was a moment-there IS 10
trace Of II in any part of the great body OF MS
painting-when he dreamed Af SURRENDER
Whether he believed the public would come
round to him know not. lie certainly never
thought OF going over to the public or OF ac-
cepting any standard or canon Of art when
was no. his OVr.
In due time the public did surrender They
accepted with a certain pathetic meekness "hat
they could not entirely understand, and there
was quite enough which ineligible to
them to vndica;e their new admiration to them
selves. Perhaps Manchester with its astonsh-
ing exhibition Of Victorian Art led the way
There was at any rate nobody who stood that
rather trying test better than Mr. Burne-Jones
Perhaps none SO we'll. a great Manchester
dealer who is also great London dealer was
quick enough to perceive this new movement in
the public mind-ndeed the rapidity Of the
movement Of the public mind was never dizzy
ing-and in fact to anticipate it He entered
into relations with this new-old artist; Of which
the result. or one result. was that series q en-
chanting pictures I referred to above. the Bifar
Rose. and the exhibition of them, not in London
OF Manchester only but in many other parts Of
England.
The Royal Academy itself perceived that Mr..
Burne-Joncs was likely to acquire such a place
in public esteem as would give new force to the
ie iS adj mir 10 rtis i'm the
Academy. and what does the Academy exist for
if not to recognize excellence in art? SO. very
grudgingly this art-union-I do not say trade
union-elected him an Associate in 1885. He re-
NAMED an Associate seven or eight years: then
resigned The step was. | believe. without pre-
cedent. but the reason for ii not far 10 seek.
Inferior men chosen into full membership
his head. and he had no mind to remain
all his life in a probatiOnal and subordinate
rank. He consulted his dignity and the
true interests of art by Withdrawing. HonOrs
of a different kind were not wanting to him.
Oxford had made him a ID. c. l.. as long ago as
1881. and Exeter College elected him to an Hon
orary Fellowship. and Birmingham had made
him President of her Royal Society Of Artists
Finally came. only last year. the exhibition at
the New Gallery of the collected works. and the
conquest was complete. 1t is the more remark
able because of the isolation and the remotcness
of the artists art. 1t is not modern. it has no
direct relation to modern life. 1t deals with
the land Of romance of tradition. Of legend. Of
poetic imagination. of fantasy. |; is n creation.
not reproduction, and these delicate concep-
tons are offered to the most prosaic age Of the
most prosaic and practical people who ever
lived, and at last are accepted. They are
bought and sold at great prices, and the prosaic
purchaser. or the supreme political representa-
tive Of him. when he casts about him for the
most suitable form Of recognition for this art
historian Of fairy-land. can think Of nothing 50
suitable as a baronetcy. 1t is a singular world.
G.. W. :.