The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
STORIES ABOUT WHISTLER.
SAMPLES OF THE BITING WIT
or THE DEAD PAINTER.
Nc Io,n,lers TO His CritScs-The Gentle Art
~ Of Making Enemies IlRustrat ed-Ho
could BE COurtaer, Too 49, A
SERIOUS View or His Own Art.


disdainfully said-who died on Friday in
London. just escaped being an American
army officer 1t seems strange to try to
fancy the exquisite James, the splendidly
original painter living the life of a soldier,
but when he began his education at West
FONT it was his desire, expectation and
ambition to have soldiers career. Odd
as it may be to think of the slender Whistler
hands~-which for so many years dangled
the long wand that became as we'll known in
London as the white lock"-as broadened
out into the brawny palms of tho athlete,
still Whistlers early wish at West Point
was to excel among the cadets In athletics.
But il was not to be,
His life was strenuous enough. one long
battle to make a record score Of enemies,
and a battle also to justify in the eyes OF
the blind his original art-indeed, battle
part OF the time for mere existence, for
there were times when starvation threat
ened him-but it was a life also out Of which
he extracted n generous share Of what was
10 him good fun. and in which he enjoyed
his need of good living
Whistler, who had suffered for lack OF
'he necessaries Of life. came to be able to
dire his friends with vases Of goldfish
OIL the table and to throw perfume into the
vases at the close OF the feast, killing the
fishes and causing them TO squirt the per-
fumed water toward the guests in their
expiring gasps.
10 many people who little realize Whist
crs high place as an artist, he is held In
Rppreciativo remembrance for his extraor-
binary faculty for saying rasphg things,
the faculty which he exploits in his divert
ing book. "The Gentle Art OF Making En-
emies"
Il learn that I have, lurking in London.
still friend he wrote only last year, less
than twelvemonth ago, though for the
life Of me I cannot remember his name"
Not all of his sharp sayings wero quite
so bitter as that. however, and some Of
them we're delicious. Tom Taylor, tho
art critic Of the London Times, had made
strenuous objection to quotation by
Whistler from Taylor's article on Velasquez,
Taylor declaring that the quotation stand
ing alone as Whistler used it gave Just
tho contrary impression to that which It
conveyed when read with the context.
Why squabble?' wrote Whistler in reply.
'You did print what I quote, you know
Tom; and it is surely unimportant what moro
you have written about the master. That
you should have written anything at all Is
your crime. Leave vengeance to the Lord,
who will forgive my garbling Tom Taylor's
writing
The art critic ever touched tho spring of
his deepest bitterness. OF Ruskin's .high-
they would give Titan the same shock
of surprise that was Balaam's when the first
great critic preferred his opinion
Frederick Wedmore. critic, complained
him unfairly, in quotation from his writ
ings Whistler had substituted, he said,
understand" for "understate.
My careessness is culpable,' wrote
Whistler. "the misprint is without excuse.
! have all along known that with Mr.. We'd
matter Of undertaking and not at all OF
understanding.
When Taylor died, Il have hardly warm
personal enemy left" sorrowed Whistler.
He was not to escape the writings of the
critics merely by failing to read them, had
that been his wish, and he referred scath-
inGly to "the untiring people who daily
supply me with the thinkings of my critics.
He was often delightfully."- epigIe NINA tic
In speech. When he failed of reelection
70 the presidency OF the Royal Society OF
British Artists he remarked:
NO longer can 1t be said that tho right
man is in the wrong place
When the trouble in this society was
brewing and his cause was sinking one OF
his supporters resigned.
"Ah,s said Whistler, Athe early rat"
After he and his friends had withdrawn
from the society. following upon his de-
feat Whistler was in the gs llcries one day
when there was an exhibition. One OF
the other visitors stood before canvas OF
LeiShtons and exclaimed:
It's gem, a perfect gem!'
Yes quoth Whistler. like diamond
In the sty."
II mellow or droll humor could be attrib-
lted to Whistler at all, II might perhaps
the door Of his White House when he was
quitting it as dwelling: Unless the Lord
Guild the house their labor is vain that
build it Il. w Goodwin, F. S. A. built this
one
Rossetti showed him sketch Whistler
praised it and babe Rossetti go on with It.
Later Rossett went into ecstases over his
Painting himself and brought it to Whistler
10 show him how beautiful it had become
Whistler said that apparently. nothing
had been done upon il further, and Rossetti
acknowledged that that was SO, but he had
written sonnet upon it. which he pro-
ceeded to read to Whistler, according to
one of the stories which Sheridan Ford tells
m his personally conducted edition, OF
The Gentle Art" When the reading
ceased.
'Rosseti," said Whistler, take the pict-
ure ont and put the sonnet in the frame
Yet this strange ger JUS could he courtier.
lie had, as president Of the Royal Society,
obtained for it a royal charter, which the
society had never before had When the
Prince Of Wales, now King Edward. paid
nus first visit to the sOciety's galleries after
TINS, Whistler a. president was there to
receive him. and the Prince said that he had
neverbef heard Of that society and asked
lis history
1T has none, your HiAhness. said Whist
Ter; Its history dates from to-day
In report Of certain public sale the
statement was printed that when one OF
"hstIer's nocturnes was put up IL was
promptly Kissed Whistler sat down and
wrote the editor OF the paper acknowledge
lng the compliment, "the distinguished
ihough unconscious compliment. SO pub
nelly paid, IL is rare that recognition 80
complete is made during the lifetime OF the
painter
:, Another time he exclaimed characteris-
really There are those, they tell me, who
nay" the approval Of the public-and live
II IL easier to laugh at q man than TO
appreciate him." he said again, and when
marry Guilter, who succeeded Taylor as tho
ImeS critic, took the house in lite street
winch Whistler had vacated and began TO
.ear down part of it he asked quizzicaly:
small the birthplace Of art become the
'oiilh OF its paraste?"
=, ne architectural 0dlbe,' he wrote OF
,his, hat was the joy Of the few, crumbles
nrheath The pick See to it, Atlas, lest
WEon Time. the healer Of all the wour ds
have in fliot ed shal fnr mo have eYacted