第40章 DOES THE YOUNG MAN KNOW EVERYTHING WORTH KNOWING?

The American professor fears that the artistic development of America leaves much to be desired.I fear the artistic development of most countries leaves much to be desired.Why the Athenians themselves sandwiched their drama between wrestling competitions and boxing bouts.The plays of Sophocles,or Euripides,were given as "side shows."The chief items of the fair were the games and races.

Besides,America is still a young man.It has been busy "getting on in the world."It has not yet quite finished.Yet there are signs that young America is approaching the thirty-nines.He is finding a little time,a little money to spare for art.One can almost hear young America--not quite so young as he was--saying to Mrs.Europe as he enters and closes the shop door:

"Well,ma'am,here I am,and maybe you'll be glad to hear I've a little money to spend.Yes,ma'am,I've fixed things all right across the water;we shan't starve.So now,ma'am,you and I can have a chat concerning this art I've been hearing so much about.

Let's have a look at it,ma'am,trot it out,and don't you be afraid of putting a fair price upon it."I am inclined to think that Mrs.Europe has not hesitated to put a good price upon the art she has sold to Uncle Sam.I am afraid Mrs.

Europe has occasionally "unloaded"on Uncle Sam.I talked to a certain dealer one afternoon,now many years ago,at the Uwantit Club.

"What is the next picture likely to be missing?"I asked him in the course of general conversation.

"Thome little thing of Hoppner'th,if it mutht be,"he replied with confidence.

"Hoppner,"I murmured,"I seem to have heard the name.""Yeth;you'll hear it a bit oftener during the next eighteen month or tho.You take care you don't get tired of hearing it,thath all,"he laughed."Yeth,"he continued,thoughtfully,"Reynoldth ith played out.Nothing much to be made of Gainthborough,either.Dealing in that lot now,why,it'th like keeping a potht offith.Hoppner'th the coming man.""You've been buying Hoppners up cheap,"I suggested.

"Between uth,"he answered,"yeth,I think we've got them all.Maybe a few more.I don't think we've mithed any.""You will sell them for more than you gave for them,"I hinted.

"You're thmart,"he answered,regarding me admiringly,"you thee through everything you do.""How do you work it?"I asked him.There is a time in the day when he is confidential."Here is this man,Hoppner.I take it that you have bought him up at an average of a hundred pounds a picture,and that at that price most owners were fairly glad to sell.Few folks outside the art schools have ever heard of him.I bet that at the present moment there isn't one art critic who could spell his name without reference to a dictionary.In eighteen months you will be selling him for anything from one thousand to ten thousand pounds.

How is it done?"

"How ith everything done that'th done well?"he answered."By earnetht effort."He hitched his chair nearer to me,"I get a chap--one of your thort of chapth--he writ'th an article about Hoppner.Iget another to anthwer him.Before I've done there'll be a hundred articleth about Hoppner--hith life,hith early thruggie,anecdo'th about hith wife.Then a Hoppner will be thold at public auchtion for a thouthand guineath.""But how can you be certain it will fetch a thousand guineas?"Iinterrupted.

"I happen to know the man whoth going to buy it."He winked,and Iunderstood.

"A fortnight later there will be a thale of half-a-dothen,and the prithe will be gone up by that time.""And after that?"I said.

"After that,"he replied,rising,"the American millionaire!He'll jutht be waiting on the door-thtep for the thale-room to open.""If by any chance I come across a Hoppner?"I said,laughing,as Iturned to go.

"Don't you hold on to it too long,that'th all,"was his advice.