inion or retract it."

"Believe me to remain, yours faithfully,

"MARCUS B. HUISH."

"38 HERTFORD STREET, MAYFAIR, W.
March 21, 1881.

[Sidenote: Letter from Mr. Haden to Mr. Huish.]

"To M. Huish, Esq.--Dear Sir,--I am in receipt of a letter from you,
dated the 18th inst., in which you first impute to me an opinion which
I have never held, and then call me to account for that opinion.
To a peremptory letter so framed, I shall not be misunderstood if I
simply decline to plead."

"Meanwhile, that I was _not_ of opinion that the etchings in our hands
were by Mr. Whistler is conclusively proved by the fact that on the
day after their reception I had written to Mr. Duveneck to arrange for
their purchase!"

"Be this, however, as it may, I can have no hesitation on the part
both of myself and of the gentlemen engaged with me in a necessary
duty, in expressing our sincere regret if, by a mistaken
representation of our proceedings, Mr. Whistler has been led to
believe that we had said or implied anything which could give him pain
or reflect in any way on his reputation either with you or your
directors."

"Faithfully yours,
"F. SEYMOUR HADEN."

"ARTS CLUB,"
HANOVER SQUARE.

[Sidenote: Letter from J. M'N. Whistler to Mr. Haden.
March 29, 1881.]

"To Seymour Haden, Esq.--Sir--Mr. Huish handed me your letter of the
21st inst., since when I have waited in vain for the true version
that, I doubted not, would follow the 'mistaken representation' you
regret I should have received."

"Now I must ask that you will, if possible, without further delay,
give me a thorough explanation of your visit to the Fine Art Society's
Gallery on Friday evening, the 17th inst.,--involving, as it did, a
discussion of my private affairs."

"Did you, accompanied by M. Legros and Dr. Hamilton, call at the Fine
Art Society's rooms on that date, and ask to see Mr. Whistler's
etchings?"

"Did you there proceed to make a careful and minute examination of
these, and then ask Mr. Brown if Mr. Whistler had done other etchings
of Venice?"

"Upon his answer in the affirmative, did you ask Mr. Brown if any of
the other plates were large ones, and, notably, whether Mr. Whistler
had done any other plate of the subject called 'The Riva'?"

"Did you ask to see the early states of Mr. Whi