the "blundering assistant" that
some etchings he had never seen, and, consequently never had
questioned;--of the very existence of which, in short, he was utterly
unconscious,--were by a Mr. Duveneck, of whom he had never heard, and
_not_ by Mr. Whistler!--a fact that in his whole life he had never
been in a position to dispute--and of which _the three Painter-Etchers
themselves were the only people_ who had ever had any doubt!

Really, they either doubted Duveneck, or they didn't doubt Duveneck!--Now,
if the Piker party didn't doubt Duveneck, who the devil did the Piker
party doubt? And why, may I ask, does Mr. Haden, _two days after_
the disastrous blunder in Bond Street, _volunteer_ the following note
of explanation to Mr. Brown, the assistant?--

(COPY.)

"38 HERTFORD STREET, MAYFAIR, W.
March 19, 1881.

"To Ernest Brown, Esq.--Dear Sir,--We know all about Mr. Frank
Duveneck, and are delighted to have his etchings.--Yours
faithfully,"

"F. SEYMOUR HADEN."

It will be remembered that the little expedition to the Fine Art
Society's Gallery took place on _Thursday evening, the 17th_ of March.
On Friday, the 18th, Mr. Huish wrote to Mr. Haden demanding an
explanation; and on _Saturday, the 19th_, this over-diplomatic and
criminating note was sent to Mr. Brown,--altogether unasked for, and
curiously difficult to excuse!--"Methinks, he doth protest too much!"

Further comment I believe to be unnecessary.

I refer you, Gentlemen, to my letter of March 29th, which Mr. Haden
has never been able to answer--and merely point out that, the
"blundering assistant" was the only one who did not blunder at
all--since he alone, refrained from folly, and, notwithstanding all
exhortation, steadily refused, in the presence of cunning
connoisseurs, to mistake the work of one man for that of another.

I have, Gentlemen, the honour to be,
Your obedient servant,
J. MCNEILL WHISTLER.

May 18, 1881.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF
THE PAINTER-ETCHERS' SOCIETY.

May I, without impertinence, ask what really does constitute the
"Painter-Etcher" "all round," as Piker has it?--for, of these three
gentlemen who have so markedly distinguished themselves in that
character, two certainly are not painters--and one doesn't etch!