TENDERNESS IN TITE STREET
TO THE POET:
The World.
OSCAR—I have read your exquisite article in the Pall Mall.
Nothing is more delicate, in the flattery of “the Poet” to “the Painter,” than the naïveté of “the Poet” in the choice of his Painters—Benjamin West and Paul Delaroche!
You have pointed out that “the Painter’s” mission is to find “le beau dans l’horrible,” and have left to “the Poet” the discovery of “l’horrible” dans “le beau!”
J. A. McN. WHISTLER.
CHELSEA.
TO THE PAINTER:
The World.
DEAR BUTTERFLY—By the aid of a biographical dictionary, I made the discovery that there were once two painters, called Benjamin West and Paul Delaroche, who rashly lectured upon Art. As of their works nothing at all remains, I conclude that they explained themselves away.
Be warned in time, James; and remain, as I do, incomprehensible. To be great is to be misunderstood.—Tout à vous,
OSCAR WILDE.
Reflection: I do know a bird, who like Oscar, with his head in the sand, still believes in the undiscovered!
If to be misunderstood is to be great, it was rash in Oscar to reveal the source of his inspirations: the “Biographical Dictionary.”
J. A. McN. W.