Whistler Is Quarrelsome

Whistler, tlie artist, always seems to be having trouble of one sort or another. Just recently it has been about his portrait of Lady Eden, which the French court had ordered him to deliver "immediately or sooner." Before that there was his controversy with DuMaurier, in which he forcibly expressed his ror-entment at having been introduced ato the author's now famous"Triïbj'." Many years ago there was the farr.ous libel suit against John Ruskin, who, in a brief but stinglng criticism of the artist's work, called him a cockney. Thls sunk deep int f.htí soul of Whistler, who brought suit for damages, to the huge ediflcation of the whole English-speaking world, the proceedings being most entertaining Erom start to finish. At the conclusión damages in the sum of 1 farthing were awarded to Whistler, and the costs, which were upon Ruskin, were raised by public subscription. The sum was $1,900, and, as one of the subscriben remarked: "Ten times that much wouldn't be too much for the public to pay for the entertainment afforded by the suit." Once Whistler painted a portrait of Thomas Carlyle- not for money, for the great philosopher had none at that time. After Carlyle's death a public subscription was started in Scotland to buy the picture and present it to a public library. Y'histler asked 400 guineas Cor it - a sma',1 price for such a work. but the artist set the price low because of his apprcval of the scheme. When nearly all the money was raised it camo to Whistler's nDtice that the subscription paper spccially disclaimed any approval of hlmself, his art or his art theories. He promptly raised the price to 1.000 guineas. The picture is still unsold. Another story toltf of him ishis remark, p.fter looking through the house of a nralti-millionaire who had no taste, but had amassed a priceless cnllection of pictures and articles of vertu. Throughout the tour of the house the arlist kept silence, but just before his departure he turned to hls host and sairï: "It's amazing, and there's no excuse for it." That was his only comment.