hat helped them."

[Illustration]

_A Suggestion_

[Sidenote: _Truth_, March 28, 1889.]

A certain painter has given himself away to an American journalist,
unless that gentleman has romanced, in the _Philadelphia Daily News_.
According to him this person explained how he managed the press, and
how he claimed to be the inventor of the system associated with the
name of Mr. Whistler. The Art clubs and the studios have been flooded
with the _Philadelphia Daily News_. Mr. Whistler sent on his own copy
to the pretender, with the following note:--

"You will blow your brains out, of course. Pigott has shown you
what to do under the circumstances, and you know your way to
Spain. Good-bye!"

[Illustration]

_The Habit of Second Natures_

[Sidenote: _Truth_, Jan. 2, 1890.]

Most Valiant _Truth_--Among your ruthless exposures of the shams of
to-day, nothing, I confess, have I enjoyed with keener relish than
your late tilt at that arch-impostor and pest of the period--the
all-pervading plagiarist!

I learn, by the way, that in America he may, under the "Law of '84,"
as it is called, be criminally prosecuted, incarcerated, and made to
pick oakum, as he has hitherto picked brains--and pockets!

How was it that, in your list of culprits, you omitted that fattest of
offenders--our own Oscar?

His methods are brought again freshly to my mind, by the indefatigable
and tardy Romeike, who sends me newspaper cuttings of "Mr. Herbert
Vivian's Reminiscences," in which, among other entertaining anecdotes,
is told at length, the story of Oscar simulating the becoming pride of
author, upon a certain evening, in the club of the Academy students,
and arrogating to himself the responsibility of the lecture,
with which, at his earnest prayer, I had, in good fellowship, crammed
him, that he might not add deplorable failure to foolish appearance,
in his anomalous position, as art expounder, before his clear-headed
audience.

He went forth, on that occasion, as my St. John--but, forgetting that
humility should be his chief characteristic, and unable to withstand
the unaccustomed respect with which his utterances were received, he
not only trifled with my shoe, but bolted with the latchet!

Mr. Vivian, in his book, tells us, further on, that lately, in an
article in the _Nineteenth Century_ on the "Decay of Lying," Mr. Wilde
has deliberately and incautiously incorporated, "w