New-York tribune., 1921-12-18


Even he had to qualify before he could
be accepted as truly belonging to the
pnpal circle. 1.-THE end is not yet, nor
VIII be as long as we live" say the
authors of this book. Whistler's fame
grows with the years, and we feel 1t
our duty to leave us full a record as
we can of the great Master it was our
privilege to know. His fame endures
increases. None shall prevail against
it. Splendid! But 1t Ia a pity that
they should seem, as they do seem,
worried about it., 1t is as though they
were bent upon keeping Whistler on
the defensive. "My friend, you behave
as though you had no talent" Well,
posterity will look after Whistler
amiably enough, we have no doubt, and
meanwhile, however much we may de-
plore the superfiuously defiant tone of
the Pencils we must remain i'm
measurably grateful for the substance
of their journal" and for the light,
readable form in which they send it
out into the world.
Anecdotes
The anecdotic charm of the book is
its first attraction, but even greater
value is perhaps to be attached to it
as collection of facts. We can i'm
agine, for example, the helplessness
of these pages to the historian of
Whistler, sometimes in Whistler's own
words, as in this passage from his talk:
when Rossetti was painting Mrs.
William Morris she was at work
embroidering design of Rossetti's
on some hangings. And there she
sat. day after day, embroidering,
until, at last, the curtain was fin
ished and Howell-the Owl, as they
called him-hung it up between Mrs.
Morris's bed and Morris's. But it
was too short, about foot from the
floor, and Howell came to tell Ros-
setti. What was to be done? 1t was
foot from the floor, and some night
Morris would crawl under! "He
would not dare!' Rossetti declared,
bringing his fist down on the table
with bang"
The Gallo pleasantly is worth
ream of the toploftical moonshine that
is so often talked about that circle.
There is a story about Swinburne and
Meredith, dating from the time when
the latter was temporarily editing
"The Fortnightly Review" He sent
the poet 210 for contribution and
was asked to explain the sum. 1t was
what he usually got for his own poems,
was the EDITORS reply. eyes, for
yours" said Swinburne, "but for
mine?" They got into a wrangle over
it and Swinburne ended by slapping
the others face. They were handy
with their fists, these singing birds
and artists. The Pencils report, on
the authority of W. M. Rossetti, an
encounter between Whistler and Lee
grcs in the Office of Luke Ionides.
Legros grew offensive and his friend
knocked him down. Whistler scorned
the idea of apologizing for this viva
ity. "A man gives you the lie to your
face" he said, "and you naturally
strike him" OF all small beer the
small beer of ancient private feuds is
the smallest, but it must be confessed
that the rows in which Whistler was
involved are endlessly diverting.
The Pencils give several versions
OF the one with Leyland, over the IA
nous "Peacock Room" which we will
oil see when the Freer Museum at
Washington is opened. They can point
to the probability that Whistler was
trying, to say the least One of the
pretty things he did was to bring
people in to see the decoration with
out consulting Leyland, giving them
tea, holding receptions, and altogether,
using the house as his own. The late
Samuel P. Avery, one of the gentlest
of men and a devoted friend of
"Jimmie,' as he was wont to call him,
once told the present writer of
luncheon the artist gave him at the
Leyland house while work on the
Peacock Room" was going forward.
Whistler was terrifcally exalte, carried
off the luncheon with the gesture of
herSSido, SHlVleu tHC servants ABOUT
the wine and altogether made his visi-
tor feel as uncomfortable as he had
ever been in his life. 1t is no wonder
that Leyland turned grumpy. 1t was
Leyland, we are told, who suggested
to Whistler the names "Symphony"
and Harmony" which took on such
Importance in tho nomenclature of his
pictures.
Apropos of collectors, those who pur-
sue the etchings would do we'll to read
the pages bearing upon certain per-
sonalties portrayed in them. Drouet is
celebrated, at some length, and there
is an enchanting account Of Becquet,
the sculptor and musician, the best
man, pour la morale" Drouet had ever
seen. Not long before Whistler's death
he and some other old comrades gave
Becquet dinner, and it was the Amer
lean who handed him the laurel wreath
they had got for him. There is a Gu
rious note on Finette, the damsel of
one of the finest Of Whistler's earlier
plates. She was his companion in mis-
cry, 1t appears, for two years. There
was something irresistibly endearing
al hpn+ Hi, roo~ x,,Lo -r:J.J