New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-29

FICTU f BIT r = xxx az London Smith &
FIRST ~ Nayr york: E P. Dutton & Co, 1910.
os affixed 10 the foregoing description
The ,-a,a5 work Of reference require, per-
q ce'e0- oxnIanation This is not belated
bars hook nearly one hundred years old
-eTe" ' -s,ns that Smith has been re-
Si.f I-i+bo,,t augmentation revision, but
THn'7~' ,nneared IN his original form He is
jSS . Go Z new edition at the hands Of
gOns go de Groot. two volumes OF which
Ir fl..,+,,- e,een issued by the Macmillans;
hs'e +.s mean time the present reprint, which
5si y i.c,ad in London in 1905, and limited to
Tas '- ~.,;es has found its way over here, and.
~ .eered al q very reasonable price for the
beAe ,~,ssor1e volumes. will doubtless be re-
nnF nth lively appreciation by many a col
esh -ne latter has always well known his
~ g. ~. has not always been able to procure
slD'-- g hin. and not even the prospect of the
-a,s.io1 Of DR.. Hofstede de Groot's indispen-
edition can deprive the old one Of its
&C i is stiu q work Of value.
- ro,-o summarized above the title page Of
-, f-st volume, which treats Of Dou,
az -.,-r5t the two Mierises. the two Ostades
p,ljn Wouver1nan's but there lie before Us
% hose copious lists in which the industrious
deal p-
D,be. Rembrandt, Ruysdael, Poussin,
ID and more than score Of other
...-s The reprint includes, too, the
- supplement Of nearly nine hundred
Il is beautifully made, with the dig
- typography Of the 30s. and it appears
: he familiar old binding of red cloth with
- 1abels. 4 few coed illustrations are scat
- through the volumes. Dip at random any
80 IN this ccmpendious work and you viii
81 n,oitabIe matter, but on this occasion We
20 seneciaIIy tempted TO return to the intro
s,o-v rages in tie first volume They bring
al 2 nleasant picture Of the man who sold
&c of art 10 ~Xathek' Beckford. to Sir
-,bg-+ Peel and three-fourths OF the other nota-
tries Of his DAY and they amusngly show US
90, how the collector IS q type varying little
through the ages
smith dedicated his book 10 Peel, fervidly
.4.nkine him for his ''condescending kindness
n Ds-mitting him 10 do so. and going on TO ex-
--sSs his gratitude for your appreciation OF my
.r,suct as z Tradesman during the twenty
-asrs have been employed in your service
there was 10 nonsense about Smith. II he felt
himself 10 be connoisseur he did not put on
NV Of the airs Of that parsonage, but was con-
.sr- with tie prestige Of an honest and capable
merchant He wanted TO do the best he could
~ his patrons. 70 sell them authentic pictures,
and one purpose of the compilation OF his cata-
lrue was 10 give The collector trustworthy in
.--mation. Being a very human and kindly
s.a he -scrupulously abstained from observa-
tns upon Pictures which might tend TO injure
nor value and thereby occasion q loss TO the
r5iTisual holders q them reserving destruc-
tive eandor for works IN public galleries. This
node Of discrimination brought down upon his
head some years later. a gently sarcastic re-
mark from the redoubtable DR.. Waagen, but
The coed Smith earnestly protested in the
r-stace 10 his Supplement- that he had never
teen Influenced by personal considerations We
ray vel believe him. Il was merely his natu-
2 disposition 10 be civil that kept him from
"4ying about him" TOO freely.
On the entirely safe ground Of collecting in
general he spoke. Al the outset, in no uncertain
tns. Ee believed II the cleaning and relin-
nc Of oId pictures, but he advocated prudence
y both these directions. Above all, he was
eager 10 deneUnce the practices by which poor
p1ures CT forge-ies We're foisted upon the
amateur Some of these practices. which seem
er-Ogsly familiar he describes. Amateurs are
frequently invited 10 look at cases Of pictures.
which are said 10 he Just arrived from the Con-
uent This invitation Is accompanied by
Ia1Sihle history Of the collection from whence
ley are said to be derived; perhaps that Of
Some ancient family IN italy or Holland These
zssurances are occasionally strengthened by in
'leeS, letters and other cOrToborative docu
1eHts7 Need We continue the passage, with
is climax supplied by the gentleman who buys
a. imitation for = -r7aSrar-iece7 Then there is