A Document
Atlas—I have come upon the posthumous paper of ’Arry—his certificate of character, and printed pretension to the Professorship of Slade—and O! the shame of it—and the indiscretion of it!
Read, Atlas, and seek in your past for a parallel:
The World, March 24, 1886.
“To the Electors of the Slade Professor of Fine Art for the University of Cambridge.—My Lord and Gentlemen,—I beg to submit my name as a candidate for the Slade Professorship, and enclose herewith a few testimonials... I have also received favourable letters from the following gentlemen... Alma-Tadema, R.A., Marcus Stone, R.A., Briton Rivière, R.A., John Brett, A.R.A.,... and others.”
What! is the Immaculate impure?—and shall the Academy have coquetted with the unclean?
Had Alma the classic aught in common with this ’Arry of commerce?
Believe him not, Atlas!
O Alma! O Ichabod! forgive us the thought of it!
Surely also the pots of “the Forty” do boil before the Lord, and the flames of the chosen were unfanned by the feather of ’Arry’s goose-quill.
Again:
“My experience in art matters has been briefly as follows:
“I have worked at the subject continually in Italy, having for that purpose travelled and stayed in that country—at least a dozen times. I have also painted in France, Germany, and Belgium, in which last-mentioned country I was in a portrait painter’s studio.”—(A portrait by ’Arry!)
“There are several pictures of mine being exhibited in London at the present time.” (!!!)
“I have also executed a good deal of distemper....
“I have also travelled for a year in the East.” (’Arry in the East!!)
“I have had, as a lecturer upon Art, considerable experience—at working men’s clubs—... and at the Rev. Stopford A. Brooke’s College for men, women, and children.
“For the last ten years I have written every article upon art which has appeared in the Spectator newspaper”—a confession, Atlas, clearly a confession!
“In 1880, I wrote a critical life of Giotto”—he did indeed, Atlas!—I saw it—a book in blue—his own, and Reckitt’s—all bold with brazen letters:
“GIOTTO BY ‘ARRY”
—“of which two editions were published”—bless him—and then I killed him!
and, “I am, Gentlemen,
“Your most obedient servant,
“‘ARRY, M.A.
“Trin. Coll. Camb., Esquire.”
The pride of it!