E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Project Gutenberg Beginners Projects,
Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Being Cases mostly under the Ninth and Tenth Commandments
by
FRANK JEWETT MATHER, Junr.
1912
Comprising a Ballade, wherein the Wrongfulness of Art Collecting isconceded, and as well Certain Stories: Campbell Corot, which recountsthe career of an able and candid Picture Forger. The del PuenteGiorgione, which tells of an artful Great Lady and an Artless Expert.The Lombard Runes, a mere interlude, but revealing a certain duplicityin Professional Seekers for Truth. Their Cross, so called from aninanimate Object of Price which wrought Woe to a well meaning New YorkCouple. The Missing St Michael, a tale of Italianate Americans which isfull of Vanities and, though alluring to the Sophisticated, quite unfitfor the Simple Reader. The Lustred Pots, again a mere interlude, but ofa grim sort, as it grazes the Sixth Commandment and The BalaklavaCoronal, which, notwithstanding its exotic title, is mostly of our ownPeople, showing the Triumph of a resourceful Dealer over two Critics anda Captain of Industry. To which seven stories are added some Reflectionsupon Art Collecting, setting forth Excuses and Palliations for aPractice usually regarded as Pernicious.
Of the seven stories of art collecting that make up this book "CampbellCorot" and the "Missing St. Michael" first appeared under the pseudonymof Francis Cotton, in "Scribner's Magazine," and are now reprinted by itscourteous permission. Similar acknowledgment is due the "Nation" forallowing the sketch on art collecting to be republished. Many readerswill note the similarity between the story "The del Puente Giorgione" andPaul Bourget's brilliant novelette, "La Dame qui a perdu son Peintre." Mystory was written in the winter of 1907, and it was not until the summerof 1911 that M. Bourget's delightful tale came under my eye. Clearly thesame incident has served us both as raw material, and the noteworthydifferences between the two versions should sufficiently advise thereader how little either is to be taken as a literal record of facts orestimate of personalities.
A Ballade of Art Collectors
Campbell Corot
The del Puente Giorgione
The Lombard Runes
Their Cross
The Missing St. Michael
The Lustred Pots
The Balaklava Coronal
On Art Collecting
Oh Lord! We are the covetous.
Our neighbours' goods afflict us sore.
From Frisco to the Bosphorus
All sightly stuff, the less the more,
We want it in our hoard and store.
Nor sacrilege doth us appal—
Egyptian vault—fane at Cawnpore—
Collector folk are sinners all.
Our envoys plot in partibus.
They've small regard for chancel door,
Or Buddhist bolts contiguous
To lustrous jade or gold galore
Adorning idol squat or tall—
These be strange gods that we adore—
Collector folk are sinners all.
Of Romulus Augustulus
The signet ring I proudly wore.
So