he officer--'we were very sorry not to
have had space enough for all your etchings, but we are glad to have
seventeen and the portrait."

"'You are too kind' I said, 'but really I will not trouble you.'"

"Mr. Hawkins was quite embarrassed, and urged me to reconsider my
determination, but I withdrew every one of the etchings, and they are
now well hung in the English Department."

"I did not mind the fact that my works were criticized, but it was the
discourteous manner in which it was done. If the request to me had been
made in proper language, and they had simply said:--'Mr. Whistler,
we have not space enough for twenty-seven etchings. Will you kindly
select those which you prefer, and we shall be glad to have them,' I
would have given them the privilege of placing them in the American
Section."...

"_Whacking Whistler_"

[Sidenote: _New York Herald_, Paris Edition, Oct. 4.
1889.]

In an interview in yesterday's _Herald_ the eccentric artist, Mr. J.
McNeill Whistler, "jumped" in a most emphatic manner upon General
Hawkins, Commissioner of the American Art Department at the
Exhibition. He objects to the General for being a cavalry officer;
refers to him sarcastically as "Hawkins," and declares him ignorant of
the most elementary principles alike of art and politeness--all this
because he, Whistler, was requested by the Commissioner to remove from
the Exhibition premises some ten of his rejected etchings.

In a spirit of fair play a correspondent called upon General Hawkins,
giving him an opportunity, if he felt so disposed, of "jumping," in
his turn, on his excitable opponent. The General did feel "so
disposed," and proceeded, in popular parlance, to "see" Mr. J. McNeill
Whistler and "go him one better." In this species of linguistic
gymnastics, by the way, the military Commissioner asks no odds of
any one. He began by gently remarking that Mr. Whistler, in his
published remarks, had soared far out of the domain of strict
veracity. This was not bad for a "starter," and was ably supported by
the following detailed statement:--

"Mr. Whistler says he received a note from me. That is a mistake. I
have never in my life written a line to Mr. Whistler.[40] What he did
receive was a circular with my name printed at the bottom. These
circulars were sent to all the artists who had pictures refused by the
jury, and contained a simple request that such pictures be removed.